Ee-Ling Low

Discover how high-performing systems shape teaching quality around the world Producing highly skilled and committed teachers is not the work of a single innovative school or the aggregation of heroic individuals who succeed against the odds. In high-performing countries, the opportunities for teachers to learn sophisticated practices and continue to improve are embedded systemically in education policies and practices. Empowered Educators describes how this seemingly magical work is done—how a number of forward-thinking educational systems create a coherent set of policies designed to ensure quality teaching in all communities. . . and how the results are manifested in practice. Spanning three continents and five countries, Empowered Educators examines seven jurisdictions that have worked to develop comprehensive teaching policy systems: Singapore and Finland, the states of New South Wales and Victoria in Australia, the provinces of Alberta and Ontario in Canada, and the province of Shanghai in China. Renowned education expert Linda Darling-Hammond and a team of esteemed scholars offer lessons learned in a number of areas that shape the teaching force and the work of teachers, shedding unprecedented light on areas such as teacher recruitment, preparation, induction and mentoring, professional learning, career and leadership development, and more. Find out how quality teaching is developed and conducted across the globeDiscover a common set of strategies for developing, supporting, and sustaining the ongoing learning and development of teachers and school leadersSee how high-performing countries successfully recruit and train educatorsUnderstand why the sharing of expertise among teachers and administrators within and across schools is beneficial A fascinating read for researchers, policymakers, administrators, teacher educators, pre-service teachers and leaders, and anyone with an interest in education, this book offers a rare glimpse into the systems that are shaping quality teaching around the world.

Written by two leading scholars who have published extensively in the field of Singapore English and World Englishes, this monograph re-examines issues concerning English in Singapore; rethinks major paradigms and approaches; provides a state-of-the-art documentation of aspects of glocalization of English in Singapore; a fully up to date bibliography of key references in the field; and breaks new ground on the existing research. The chapters of the book fit into six broad categories, namely theoretical considerations, global competencies, local realities, global-local interface, current research and future directions and a bibliography. Even though English in Singapore was traditionally classified within the Kachruvian circle as being an Outer Circle variety where English is supposed to be a second language (ESL), the use and development of English in present-day Singapore indicate that it is neither a native, second or foreign language. It is thus struggling to find its place within the traditionally established paradigms concerning the spread of English around the world. Through new empirical data and analysis, the authors propose a new model to account for variation in Singapore English and show evidence of its positioning in existing paradigms explaining the spread of English worldwide. This book will be a welcome update on the state of English in Singapore today and chart future directions for further research for scholars and academics in Linguistics and the study of the English Language.

BEST PRACTICES FROM SINGAPORE'S HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEM Empowered Educators in Singapore is one volume in a series that explores how high-performing educational systems from around the world achieve strong results. The anchor book, Empowered Educators: How High-Performing Systems Shape Teaching Quality Around the World, is written by Linda Darling-Hammond and colleagues, with contributions from the authors of this volume. Empowered Educators in Singapore delves into the country's rapid rise to educational excellence on a global scale and the national effort that drives it. Singaporean students routinely outperform their peers from around the world, placing first or second in international assessments, particularly in math and science. In 2015, Singaporean students topped the league table for both the Programme in International Student Achievement (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). With educators around the world clamoring for the "Singapore secret," the reality is that Singapore's excellence is the result of a 25-year drive to improve education through systemic, long-term and ongoing, consistent, and deliberative reform with an emphasis on teacher quality. This book describes the interwoven strategies that merge context, quality, governance, and continual evolution into a consistently high-achieving student population.

Pronunciation plays a crucial role in learning English as an international language, yet often remains marginalised by educators due to a lack of required phonetic and phonological knowledge. Pronunciation for English as an International Language bridges the gap between phonetics, phonology and pronunciation and provides the reader with a research based guide on how best to teach the English language. The book follows an easy to follow format which ensures the reader will have a comprehensive grasp of each given topic by the end of the chapter. Key ideas explored include:• Articulation of English speech sounds and basic transcription• Connected speech processes• Current issues in English language pronunciation teaching• Multimedia in English language pronunciation practice• Using speech analysis to investigate pronunciation featuresUsing the latest research, Pronunciation for English as an International Language will facilitate effective teaching and learning for any individual involved in teaching English as a second, foreign or international language.

Pronunciation plays a crucial role in learning English as an international language, yet often remains marginalised by educators due to a lack of required phonetic and phonological knowledge. Pronunciation for English as an International Language bridges the gap between phonetics, phonology and pronunciation and provides the reader with a research based guide on how best to teach the English language. The book follows an easy to follow format which ensures the reader will have a comprehensive grasp of each given topic by the end of the chapter. Key ideas explored include:• Articulation of English speech sounds and basic transcription• Connected speech processes• Current issues in English language pronunciation teaching• Multimedia in English language pronunciation practice• Using speech analysis to investigate pronunciation featuresUsing the latest research, Pronunciation for English as an International Language will facilitate effective teaching and learning for any individual involved in teaching English as a second, foreign or international language.