Faculty Publications and Conference Presentations

<p>This paper reports an exploratory study of questions about English grammar sent in by a group of Hong Kong ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers to a teacher support computer network, Tele Nex. The study examines the questions Hong Kong ESL teachers ask about the English language. Arising from the questions posed, the paper then delineates the kinds of language support that ESL teachers may need. Grammar questions sent in by teachers to the network constituted the data source. The questions were analysed in terms of the frequency of the content words used, linguistic categories, and teacher knowledge. The principal findings are that the teachers’ grammar-related questions typically arose out of their everyday pedagogical needs and these needs seem to be shaped by their implicit models of grammar as a set of rules for ‘correct’ language use. Such information on ‘correct’ use does not seem to be easily available from major reference books. These findings confirm the value of a computer network where teachers can obtain continuous informational support and participate in collaborative discussions, which can develop an awareness of grammar as a meaning-making tool.</p>