Editorial…

“Writers live twice.”
—Natalie Goldberg

We would like to begin June issue editorial from a powerful three-word quote by American writer, Natalie Goldberg (mentioned above). Of course, writers live twice and this is the amazing sole power of writing. Writing contributes to the author’s own community at the minor scale and to the world at micro scale. Having realized the potential of writing, NELTA ELT Forum is working with a wider ELT writing community to spread out their valued voices to a larger ELT audience. It is our pleasure to say that as of now, we have been receiving a number of write-ups, the very special contribution from the established ELT academia, researchers, trainers and classroom teachers who are the ‘soul’ of this forum. These very diverse authors have made our forum so lively and engaging as a result we are living or our existence has been possible. Similarly, another important part of our Forum is our readers who are encouraging us by reading the posts regularly and providing their valued comments.

At this point, we would like to say that we are much sorry that due to some technical difficulties, we could not bring our regular issues for some months. However, it is equally our pleasure that NELTA ELT Forum is coming up with the new issues along with a new team members. We would like to thank the former team for their warm support and especial contribution. It is always the former team who is guiding the new team. We will try to march ahead following the way they paved and of course at times, we may walk little farther in course of exploration or we may try to create a new trail as well which we think would help our readers to give a new taste.

As far as this issue is concerned, we are bringing some gripping ELT issues from our especial contributors in this issue. On the first post, Dr. Binod Luitel accentuates a need of research on vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension with some strong theoretical underpinnings. His context-appropriate advocacy will be a major takeaway for our readers. We completely agree with Dr. Luitel that classroom-based experimental research and vocabulary survey can be essentially a good means to modify curriculum and textbook which could offer some space to translanguaging and creative writing practice. They can further build a way to depth of processing theory and reading plus approach. Similarly, in the second post, Ammar Bahadur Singh presents his critical view on MOOCs and shows some importance of MOOC in Nepalese contexts. He explicates that MOOC has the affordances to bring economic transformation in a country as it helps to build and enhance the society of knowledge. He also posits that MOOCs provide teachers the unique opportunity to enrich their professionalism as they get into the network of communities of practice. Amar foresees that the extended values of MOOCS, such as it can help sustain ethnic values if the contents in MOOC are developed in local languages and on the basis of local needs and demands. Thirdly, Bhanu Chandra Joshi in his article suggests for the use of eclectic approach in English language teaching. He claims that no methodology fits to all contexts as there several influencing factors such as available resources in the classrooms, the learners’ background, and teachers’ pedagogical and content knowledge and so on. Last but not least, the article by Dharmananda Joshi talks about the ongoing discussion on the use of mother tongue in a language classroom. As there’s a practice of either no use or over-use of mother tongue in private and public schools of Nepal respectively, the understanding of judicious use of mother tongue as he claims for in his writing is necessary for language teachers and other concerned stakeholders. In this sense, this article has also some relation to the advocacy of translanguaging by Binod Luitel in this same issue.

For your ease, we have hyperlinked each post of this issue below:

1. Envisioning Vocabulary Enhancement vis-à-vis Reading Pedagogy in ESL Context by Dr. Binod Luitel
2. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): Opportunities and challenges for learning by Ammar Bahadur Singh
3. Use of Eclectic Approach in English Language Teaching by Bhanu Chandra Joshi
4. Judicious Use of Mother Tongue in EFL Classroom: Some Considerations by Dharmanand Joshi

We hope you will enjoy reading this issue. Please drop your comments to the posts that you will read.

Happy reading!

Issue Editors,

Sagun Shrestha

Laxmi Prasad Ojha