Page 19 - ELG1601 Jun Issue 437

June 2016 ELreviews Page 15

Do your research!

Wayne Trotman reviews a book which explains how Book of the month

The Cambridge Guide to on primary decisions such as fram- research, possibly one of the most
Research in Language ing and defining a project, then overlooked aspects, is superbly ETpedia™ 500 ideas for (presentations, negotiations) and language
Teaching and Learning – and perhaps the most relevant to covered by Magdalena Kubany- Business English teachers skills (grammar, vocabulary and business
Edited by James Dean Brown beginner researchers – by follow- iova in chapter twenty-two, where John Hughes and Robert McLarty, writing). The ideas vary in length from short
and Christine Coombe, ing the eight steps suggested there, she outlines both macro- and Pavilion Publishers and Media Ltd; tips to longer activities or lists of expressions.
Cambridge University Press; deciding on a suitable methodol- micro-ethical principles, the lat- 978-1-9110-2820-8 The ‘10 ways to use frameworks’ unit is
978-1-1074-8555-6 ogy from those on the continuum ter including avoiding wasting especially useful, providing diagrams which
on page 47, which range from people’s time by asking them to This 174-page A4 wire-bound resource book help students organise their thoughts. An
his volume of thirty-six qualitative case studies to quan- complete endless surveys. is packed with tips, ideas and activities. excellent appendix contains a sample needs
chapters, all written by titative experimental projects. Dealing with human subjects Firstly, it clarifies ‘What is Business English?’, analysis form, a ‘collocation pelmanism’
Tleading names in the field Next up are four key chapters in the following chapter contin- then looks at planning courses. It provides activity, and a set of colour business cards for
of teacher research, provides a that look at the characteristics ues well from Kubanyiova’s, and activities for topic areas like sales, culture, role plays. This is exactly the one-stop
splendid overview of up-to-date and essentials of both quantitative outlines the researcher’s respon- technology and management. Finally, it resource book I would have liked when I
thoughts on this area. Chapters are and qualitative research, before sibility to show respect to others covers business communication skills started teaching business English.
short, and each looks closely at delving into much deeper (but involved in a study. Completing
the background, previous research essential) matters concerning par- this part are chapters on creating
on the topic in question – and, adigms, ontology, epistemology effective research questions and
most importantly, its practical and hermeneutics, all admirably another often overlooked aspect, Penny Ur’s 100 the advice, allowing further extensive focus on study skills.
applications. The book is divided explained here. sampling. Data Gathering covers Teaching Tips exploration. I like the catchy Gateway contains ten units,
into four main sections: Primary Returning to earth, this part conducting research interviews Penny Ur, Cambridge counter-intuitive approach of plus regular review pages. The
Considerations, Getting Ready, ends with an outline of mixed- of various types including focus University Press; some tips (‘Don’t give topics are generally stimulating
Doing the Research, and Research methods research. The sub-section groups, constructing suitable 978-1-3165-0728-5 homework at the end,’ ‘Don’t and engaging; for example,
Contexts. Each chapter ends with Choosing a Research Type out- questionnaires, using introspec- always pre-teach vocabulary’). learning to speak Klingon,
several penetrative discussion lines those with which most of us tive methods, diary studies and The author’s intention in this There are sound ideas for translations of the Harry Potter
questions and it would be useful are probably familiar, including analysing statistical data, while slim 120-page volume is to integrating technology where novels and making silicon
for both those coming to research action research by Anne Burns, Reporting Findings discusses how pass on many of her appropriate, such as using SMS chips. I like the use of the
afresh as well as those pursuing plus Simon Borg on teacher to present and publish research. experience-based insights, texting. A wealth of experience, Macmillan star system to show
research degrees at a higher level. research. As replication studies The final two chapters in saving teachers having to presented clearly and concisely. the frequency of vocabulary in
The four chapters in Primary seem to be making a return, the Research Contexts comprise re-invent the wheel. She the wordlists. The CLICK
Considerations look first at the ben- chapter by Graham Porte on this how to use research in language- succeeds. Each tip is given a Gateway B1 strand provides input in
efits of and obstacles to research area is noteworthy, and so too is programme evaluation and an complete page, and the book David Spencer, Macmillan; cross-curricular areas, culture
– the former largely in terms of the section on auto-ethnography, overview by Thomas Farrell covers nineteen areas – 978-0-230-72344-3 and literature. The coursebook
professional development and an which appears within the chapter of research carried out across including error correction, comes with extensive digital
increased feeling of efficacy, the Narrative Inquiry, which basically six continents and involving discipline, games, This general English course is support. It is full of interesting
latter in relation to aspects such as involves the re-telling of life sto- sixty-eight studies. All told, pronunciation and testing. The for students working towards content, and should appeal to
pressure and a lack of recognition. ries in order to capture their true this title contains a wealth of inclusion of academic school-leaving exams, and the target learners.
This is followed by chapters on meaning in relation to language information, all extremely well references provides weight to appropriately includes an Recommended.
guidelines for critiquing research teaching or learning (assuming explained, on what for perhaps
and applying for grants. It con- they have any, one might add). too many language teachers still Reviews by Pete Sharma for the Bournemouth English Book Centre: www.bebc.co.uk
cludes with a discussion of The section Doing the Research sadly remains a mystery. n
definitions of research, along with includes three sub-sections, the
the general stages involved in car- first of which covers the pre- Wayne Trotman mentors
rying out related studies. liminary steps of carrying out a teacher researchers at Izmir
Getting Ready focuses initially literature review. The ethics of Katip Çelebi University, Turkey

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