Guest Editor

Dr. Jock Wong, Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore.

Aims and Scopes

When I wrote the first call-for-papers for the special issue ‘ELT in the time of the coronavirus’ in April 2020, I thought there was a possibility that COVID-19 would blow over by July or August, and ELT practitioners would not need to teach online anymore. I was even wondering whether it would justify all the hard work that would go into the special issue if that were the case. Now, it seems funny that I entertained that thought.

Covid-19 has shown no sign of abating. In fact, at a media briefing on COVID-19 on Aug 3, 2020, the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked that “there’s no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be.” It does appear that the coronavirus is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. This means that many of us ELT practitioners will continue to teach online for safe distancing purposes. Therefore, we want the special issue ‘ELT in the time of the coronavirus 2020’, which was launched in early July 2020, to remain open to submissions. The deadline is now extended indefinitely.

Topics relevant to the special issue remain the same. The basic question is, “What are some of the things that we ELT practitioners in universities around the world do to maximize student learning and increase physical distancing?” Related topics include course materials, consultations and assessments. How do you adapt materials to online teaching? How do you facilitate one-on-one consultations and monitor student progress? What adjustments do you make to assess students from a distance? Further, your students might need moral support at this time, so what kinds of support do you provide, and how? What kinds of support does your organization provide and what more can they do? What kinds of administrative adjustments are required?

The International Journal of TESOL Studies renews its invitation to submit papers for the special issue ‘ELT in the time of the coronavirus 2020’. Contributors will address some of the questions raised above, or related issues/themes not mentioned above, and share their ideas with readers. The objective is one of sharing. If you have good ideas for fellow university ELT practitioners, this is the place for you. You could present theories, approaches, methods and reflections. You could contribute ideas pertaining to any kind of English language module taught at a university level (e.g. report writing, academic writing, oral presentation).

When we receive a paper, we will get it reviewed. Once the paper is reviewed, revised, accepted and processed, it will be published. Individual papers will be added to the special issue as they come.

Structure

Papers can be 7,000-10,000 words in length (excluding the reference section). You could consider using the following categories as a template for your paper:

• Statement of the teaching context: Provide a short introduction to the country, the cultural context, the organization, the module in a f2f setting (what is taught, the approach, the methods, the activities), the students, and perhaps even the teachers.
• Rationale for the online practice or methodology: Present the problems that have emerged from the need to increase physical distancing. Explain the online practices or methodologies used to address the problems and their underlying theoretical and/or practical motivations. Present limitations if it helps. Links to video clips of your methodology (in which you are present, with consent from students and other people who appear in the video) in use and/or other visuals are welcome.
• Outcome of the practice or methodology: Comment on the outcome (if there is sufficient data, such as student feedback, grades) or expected outcome (if there is limited data).
• Reflection: Reflect on and critically evaluate the online approach or methodology. Can the methodology be easily adapted for use by other ELT practitioners, at least those who work in a similar environment as you? Reflections on other related areas may also be included.
• Recommendations: Provide advice, suggestions, recommendations for fellow ELT practitioners.

You may also refer to papers published in the special issue part 1 & 2 to see what the various authors have done.

Submissions

You may indicate your interest to me by first submitting an abstract (around 300 words). Alternatively, you may make a submission without sending me an abstract beforehand. Please include an abstract in the paper submitted. It must be clarified in the abstract and the paper that you are addressing a topic related to ELT. Please note that although we would like to publish papers in this special issue as soon as we can, each paper to be considered for publication is peer reviewed to meet publishing standards.

Please email abstracts and full papers to me at jockonn@gmail.com.