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This final expanded issue of Essential Teacher is a cornucopia of treasures in which we include four more articles than usual from authors around the world. Also, we are thrilled to feature interviews with two special guests, Keith Folse and Jim Cummins, who share their perspectives on the role of grammar teaching in mainstream classrooms and the direction of English language teaching and learning.

 

·         Communities of Practice: Judie Haynes focuses on teaching for reading comprehension with strategies that make good readers. Linda New Levine remembers the teachers who served as her mentors and role models. Debbie Zacarian asks illuminating questions about how ESL classes should be structured. Ke Xu dedicates his column to the 35th anniversary of TESOL's EFL Interest Section. Alvino Fantini makes an important distinction between naturalistic and classroom learning of another language. Dorothy Zemach uses the metaphor of a mystery book to investigate the complexities of classroom teaching.

·         Out of the Box editor Linda Gerena has compiled a unique assortment of articles: Mary Hills Kuck shares her views on her unique role as a welcomed foreigner, and long-time resident, in Jamaica, where learning to speak Creole does not automatically earn you full entrance into the country's culture. San Shwe Baw recalls using a controversial story as a springboard for numerous language learning activities. Jon Wilkerson demonstrates how improvisational acting skills can be woven into a variety of ESL activities. Chad Low describes how he used a concept of Mikhail Bakhtin's to minimize a new student's social distance and anxiety. Okon Effiong writes about how a personal stage performance in a second language led to an engaging classroom activity that uses a bit of the first language to encourage development of the second language. Paul Halman discusses the complex dynamics of work relationships between native-English-speaking teachers and their Korean counterparts in South Korea.

·         Portal editor Susanne Lapp presents the latest on classroom initiatives and learning projects: Roberta Weber and Thomas Doyal discuss the various benefits of study-abroad programs for prospective and current teachers of diverse populations. Wendy Church and Lauren McClanahan take readers to Kwigillingok, Alaska, where high school students with various levels of English proficiency increase their literacy skills while exploring the effects of climate change in their own backyards. Joshua Cohen describes a meaning-focused activity that incorporates student-generated minisurveys. Inspired by Greg Mortenson's work building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Sally Cummings successfully connects a charitable project with students' research, learning, and action. James Nagle discusses the benefits and outcomes of an innovative collaboration between a middle school and the preservice teachers from a nearby college. Ali Fuad Selvi suggests a comprehensive set of guidelines for graduate TESOL students to use to create an equitable teaching and learning environment for ESOL teachers of diverse linguistic backgrounds.

·         References & Resources editor Vanessa Caceres offers a variety of reviews of popular publications: Holly Hansen-Thomas reviews a rich resource for anyone involved in the education of English language learners (ELLs) in the United States. Vander Viana and Luciana do Amaral Teixeira present an overview of a Web site that collects the front pages of newspapers from around the globe. Hui-jung Tang presents a comprehensive book on social interaction and its effect on language development. Baburhan Uzum discusses a university-level text that prepares ESL students for learning academic content.

·         Compleat Links editor Maria Coady presents excellent articles that complement selections from the print issue: Joshua Miekley discusses writing grant proposals as a service-based communicative activity with adult ELLs in Kosovo. Diana Booth shares the benefits of using wikis for projects in the classroom. Michele Harr tells the story of how kickball bridged the gap between an isolated learner and his teacher. Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel and Jaclyn Donahue share their approach to teaching metacognitive strategies to ELLs in order to improve oral reading comprehension. Keith Folse extends his thoughts about grammar. As always, Richard Firsten continues to clarify the perplexities of grammar.

 

And on a happy note, I am pleased to report an update to Connie Johnson's article from the June 2009 issue of ET ("EFL and the Deaf: Teachers Making a Difference"). In response to her article, administrators at her university (Universidad de las Americas, Puebla) graciously donated a computer to her community service school for the deaf, so students can now enjoy visual input through computer programs. On behalf of all of us at Essential Teacher, present and past, editors and columnists, I thank you for your continuous support, contributions, comments, and feedback. I wish you much success and a fond farewell.

 

Best always,

Eileen N. Whelan Ariza