The commonly used categorical system for conditionals (zero, first, second, and third) has been repeatedly demonstrated to be inadequate because it is unable to account for many conditional types attested in actual usage. ELT coursebooks and pedagogic grammars are criticized for ignoring the evidence and persisting with its use, but the reality…

The psychological and linguistic foundations of the cloze procedure are outlined, and standard approaches and terms used are reviewed. Notes are given on cloze in testing, in relation to language structure, and as a teaching device, focusing on the manipulation of the technique for a variety of purposes and situations. (MSE)

Describes how plays can be improvised and written by English-as-a-Second-Language students, and how the end-products can be modified in a variety of ways to create new teaching material. (six references) (GLR)

This paper describes the development and implementation of a series of videotapes of ESL classes for a pre-service teacher education program grounded in experiential learning theory. The videos included footage of ESL classrooms, and tapes edited and supplemented with interviews of ESL teachers. Our experience demonstrates that-with relatively low…

Describes a method of drawing on the students' own knowledge and resources in developing language teaching materials. Discusses the use of folk stories as a source of reading materials and examines the process of preparing a Mullah Nasreddin story, first told in a classroom discussion, for publication as a bilingual reader. (SED)

Evaluates a materials writing approach to professional development in English language teaching (ELT). The context is the training of teacher trainers, and the specific focus is a United Kingdom course for ELT professionals from Polish teacher training institutions. The article describes the background to the course, analyzes teacher training…