The title should
Sample Titles:
The abstract describing the presentation should:
The abstract will be printed in the program and on the website and will be used to help participants decide whether to attend your presentation. It should be specific and tell participants what will happen in the presentation.
Sample Abstract for Title "Test Evaluation for the Statistically Challenged":>
Your test is written, given and corrected. You want to improve it, but aren't sure how. What data do you need and how do you analyze it? Can a computer program help? What do the numbers really tell you? (39 words)
Sample Abstract for Title "Sheltered Instruction in EFL Teacher Education":>
Teacher education in EFL contexts can utilize sheltered instruction to develop pre-service teachers' knowledge base of teaching as well as their English language proficiency. The presenter will describe how she has used sheltered instruction techniques with Emirati undergraduate students majoring in Applied Linguistics/TESOL. (43 words)
The summary is used to decide which proposals get accepted. Only the proposals reviewers see the summary. It is not printed in the program. The summary should:
Sample Summary for Title "Test Evaluation for the Statistically Challenged":
In many ESL and EFL programs, the responsibility for creating and evaluating assessments fall to the classroom teachers. In the interest of time, these assessments are often recycled term after term. However, these same time constraints, coupled with lack of expertise, means teachers seldom look at these assessments to see how effective they are and how they cam be made more effective.
This presentation will show how it is possible to obtain an analysis of a test that can be used as a guide to improve the reliability and effectiveness of the test, by using basic data gathering methods, an easy-to-use software program and some basic knowledge gleaned from the Internet. It will take participants through the process of collecting, analyzing and evaluating data from a teacher-made assessment. Participants will see how the teacher then used the information to improve the assessment and how successful she was. Participants will have an opportunity to use sample data to make judgments on a variety of test items.
This session is intended for classroom teachers without extensive statistical knowledge or expertise. Participants will learn about proprietary software, freeware and shareware available for statistical analysis. Participants will also learn about web sites that teach basic statistical concepts. After the session participants will be able to carry out a similar analysis of the tests they create and use. (223 words)
Sample Summary for Title "Sheltered Instruction in EFL Teacher Education":
Teachers graduating with degrees in Applied Linguistics/TESOL need to have a general level of education; to be competent in their subject area (i.e., English); to demonstrate professional competencies, such as the ability to present information or to plan lessons; and to hold certain attitudes toward education (Cross, 2003). However, teacher-trainees in EFL contexts may enter teacher education programs with low levels of English-language proficiency. Teacher education programs then face the challenge of not only developing students' professional competencies and attitudes but also their level of English-language proficiency. Utilizing sheltered instruction may help teacher education programs to achieve these goals. Sheltered instruction "is an approach for teaching content to English learners (ELs) in strategic ways that make the subject matter concepts comprehensible while promoting the students' English language development" (Echevarria, et al., 2004). In teacher education programs, the "content" is second language acquisition theories, teaching methodologies, and classroom practices. The presenter will describe and exemplify how she has utilized sheltered instruction with undergraduate students majoring in Applied Linguistics/TESOL in the United Arab Emirates. One important aspect of sheltered instruction is clearly setting content learning objectives and language development objectives for each lesson. Other aspects include using scaffolding techniques, providing opportunities for student interaction, and designing activities which integrate all language skills and which allow students to apply content as well as language knowledge. The presenter will allow time for participants to share their strategies for developing students' language proficiency in teacher education programs. (242 words)