مجله تحقیقات زبان انگلیسی ایران
سال:1396 | دوره:5 | شماره:2 |تعداد مقالات:11

An Introduction to English Grammar was first published in 1991, with a second edition in 2002 and a 3rd in 2009. The 4th (current) edition enjoys a new section on ' Words' in chapter 9. The book is divided into two major parts: Part one is entitled Grammar, composed of four chapters and Part two is concerned with the applications of grammar, and includes five chapters, each with two sets of exercises. The first set is for self-studied or classroom use, while the second set, advanced exercises, is meant for classroom discussions or essay writing. This new edition by Nelson (and the late Greenbaum) provides an overview of nearly all aspects of English grammar.

"Humor in the classroom is a twentieth century phenomenon. Previously, it was considered unscholarly to use humor as a teaching strategy or even to show a sense of humor as a personality trait" Korobkin (1988, p.154) With the advent of humanistic approach to education, notions like whole person learning, learner-centered education (LCE) and edutainment gained more popularity. The outburst of technology-enhanced methods of learning provided more momentum and impetus for more humanistic trends in education prioritizing learner emotions, needs and desires. Thus, the endeavors made by current practitioners and educationalists to create more playful, fun and engaging ways of learning in humor-laden, stress-free and non-threatening learning environments might be regarded as the offspring of both movements referred to above, i.e. humanistic education and technology-enriched learning. The main mission of the book reviewed here, entitledHumor in the Classroom: A guide for Language Teachers and Educational Researchers, is therefore, thought to be two-fold. On the one hand, the book tries to inform teachers of the ways in which humor can be integrated in learning environments, and on the other, it strives to pave the way for more inclusive and fun learning by introducing practical techniques and presenting a research-supported gamut of available options for implementing such learning.

Activity Theory in Education: Research and Practice is a collection of eleven papers on the application of Activity Theory (AT) to investigate the what and how of developments (s) in education. The articles are characterized by their wide geographical scope and variable educational themes. The Foreword, by Yrjӧ Engestrӧm, describes the volume as "such a much needed collection of practical experiences, theoretical insights and empirical research findings on the use of Activity Theory in educational settings" (p. vii). Then, Marilyn Fleer’s Introduction to the volume specifies that studies categorized under AT research have a number of characteristics in common. These include focusing on transitions caused by tensions/contradictions, adopting a holistic approach to research, emphasizing historical developments to capture dynamic motions across time and generation, ensuring theoretical robustness in data collection and interpretation, and admitting the role of the researcher in providing insights into the process of development. Careful scrutiny of the papers, organized around four sections, shows that these features have served as the selection criteria for the articles included in the volume.

John I. Liontas, Ph.D., is an associate professor of foreign languages, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), and technology in education and second language acquisition (TESLA), and director and faculty of the TESLA doctoral program at the University of South Florida. He has over 30 years of K-20+teaching experience and research in the United States and other countries, has held several academic faculty and administrative positions in higher education, and has taught a wide range of language and academic content courses. He has also directed, coordinated, and administered language and academic programs at various US institutions and sits on several local, state, regional, national, and international academic bodies as director, managing editor, chair, reviewer, evaluator, or appointed/elected member. He is an active member of several (inter) national learned societies and has participated as PI and Co-PI on several multimillion dollar funded projects.