Publications

Recent work:

Nekrasova Beker, T. M. (2021). Use of phrase-frames in L2 students’ oral production across proficiency sub-levels. In W. J. Crawford (Ed.), Multiple perspectives on learner interaction: The corpus of collaborative oral tasks. Mouton De Gruyter.

Nekrasova-Beker, T. (2020). Vocabulary demands for engineering students studying English in Russia: Comparing ESP course materials across three engineering disciplines. Global Business Languages, 20, 159-171. Available at (DOI): https://doi.org/10.4079/gbl.v20.9

Nekrasova-Beker, T., & Becker, A. (2020). The use of lexical patterns in engineering: A corpus-based investigation of five sub-disciplines, Advances in corpus-based research on academic writing (edited by U. Römer, V. Cortes, & E. Friginal, pp. 227-254), John Benjamins Publishing.

Nekrasova-Beker, T. (2019). Discipline-specific use of language patterns in Engineering: A comparison of published pedagogical materials, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2019.100774

Nekrasova-Beker, T., & Becker, A. (2019). From academic English to pathway to mainstream engineering: Lexico-syntactic and discursive features of course materials, International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, 24:2, 143-168, https://benjamins.com/catalog/ijcl.17075.nek.

Becker, A., & Nekrasova-Beker, T. (2018). Investigating the Effects of Different Item Formats for Reading Comprehension, Educational Assessment, 23:4, 296-317, DOI: 10.1080/10627197.2018.1517023.

Nekrasova-Beker, T., Becker, A., & Sharp, A. (2017). Identifying and teaching target vocabulary in an ESP course, TESOL Journal, 10:1, https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.365.

Nekrasova-Beker, T. & Becker, A. (2017). Integrating Project-Based Learning into English for Specific-Purposes Classrooms: A Case Study of Engineering, Language for Specific Purposes Studies: Contemporary Trends in Research and Curriculum Development (Ed. M. Long, pp. 101-125), Georgetown University Press.

Becker, A., Nekrasova-Beker, T., & Petrashova, T. (2017). Testing as a way to monitor English as a foreign language learning, TESL-EJ, 21(2), 1-17.

Nekrasova-Beker, T. (2016). EFL Learners’ Use of question constructions over time: Patterns and proficiency effects, System, 58, pp. 82-96.

Courses

• E526: Teaching English as a Second/ Foreign Language

  This course provides an overview of second language (L2) methods and materials, focusing on the teaching and learning of four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Additional attention will be given to vocabulary and grammar. The goal of the course is to guide participants in developing the knowledge and skills needed to effectively design and implement language instruction for a diverse group of English language learners. This course is also designed to incorporate classroom observation.

• E527: Theories of Foreign/ Second Language Learning

  This course provides an introduction to the field of second language acquisition (SLA) focusing specifically on how humans learn a second (or third) language in addition to their native language and the factors that affect variability in their language development. Areas covered in this course include: background on the historical development of the field, universal features of the L2 learner, interlanguage development and variability, individual differences, and social factors affecting L2 learning. In addition, the course introduces a variety of experimental methods used in SLA research and highlights the implications of SLA findings for L2 teaching. Student will read and discuss research articles in SLA and engage in the analysis of learner data.

• E507: Special Topics in Linguistics – Language Across Cultures

  The main goals of this course are: 1) to examine the ways in which language and culture interact and 2) to engage in empirical examinations of communication practices that reflect cultural differences (including instances of both intercultural conflict and cooperation) and/or incorporate empirical findings in pedagogical developments. The course will provide theoretical and methodological insights into intercultural communication and will give students an opportunity to apply their knowledge through reflection and critical analysis of various manifestations of intercultural communication differences. Students will carry out a research/curriculum development project to explore the effect of cultural variables in language use, learning, and teaching.

• E 634: Special Topics in TEFL/TESL – English for Specific Purposes: Issues in Curriculum Development

  This course provides an overview of important aspects of the ESP curriculum and syllabus design, development, and evaluation as well as an examination of current research topics in ESP. The course familiarizes students with theoretical and practical issues related to the various stages of a language course design, including the needs analysis, selection of course content, and the development of corresponding instructional materials for ESP instruction. The course provides students with an opportunity to engage in two course projects that are tailored to meet their individual interests in ESP course design and/or research.

  This course is primarily intended for graduate students in the TEFL/TESL program who are training to become teachers of English to the speakers of other languages. In their future careers, they are likely to initiate, participate in and supervise the development of new language courses, including the courses which will target discipline-specific content and language (e.g., engineering, business, agriculture).