Recent Research Interests

I have a range of research interests relating to language teaching that reflects the broad nature of skills effective language teachers need to best meet the learners’ needs. Primarily though, I am interested in how task repetition can be manipulated to make gains in the complexity, accuracy and fluency of spoken English. I am also interested in approaches to fostering learner autonomy and independent learning through effective goal-setting and self-directed learning. Currently, I am also conducting projects using Rasch analysis to investigate the effectiveness of rubrics for interactional competence and presentation skills in order to develop more reliable and valid rubrics that best serve the learners.

Selected Publications

Stones, T. P. (2022). A case study on the development of writing skills on a Master’s pathway programme. Osaka JALT Journal, [in press].

Stones, T. P. & Delve, M. (2022). How to teach and not test listening. Kwansei Gakuin Foreign Language Journal. [in press]

Stones, T. P. (2019). Developing complexity, accuracy and fluency by adapting the staging of speaking tasks. Journal of Policy Studies, 58, 41 – 16. 

Stones, T. P. (2018). Investigating student attitudes to a Dogme approach to IELTS essay writing. Journal of Policy Studies, 56, 39 – 44.

Stones, T. P. (2013). Transcription and the IELTS speaking test: Facilitating development. ELT Journal, 67 (1), pp. 20 – 30.