“30 Language Teaching Methods” by Scott Thornbury
A book about how to teach language and the numerous ways you can go about it.
I have recently held that a trained teacher is different from a qualified teacher. I arrived at this conclusion when a researcher speaking about Indian English commented, “Since I am a linguist by training and not a teacher by training, I will not get into the pedagogical elements.” The sobering reality struck me then.
I wasn’t a teacher by training either. At that point, I was just a graduate of MA English who happened to be teaching.
Since then I have acquired two specialized degrees in the teaching of English although a lot of work remains to be done to fully attain perfect teacher training, if such a thing even exists.
Reading this book reminded me why I shouldn’t worry as there are numerous methods to use in the classroom and that not all of them are perfect.
The following talk by the author also happened to be a very refreshing intro into the idea of methods and the multiple possibilities they held. My ELT students particularly found it stimulating.
Student-Centered Learning
Most teachers across the globe in general, and India, in particular, are perhaps more explainers of comprehension than demonstrators of actual teaching. Standing in front of a crowd and lecturing for the entire duration only to then lament that nothing has been “learned” by the students is a harsh reality.
It is also the core issue. Lecturing is not teaching.
Thornbury’s book highlighted to me the importance of putting the learner at the heart of the process and thereby enabling them to acquire language. Be it in the “Crazy English” method or the eclectic “Community Language Learning” (pioneered by the Jesuit Charles Curran, who reminded me of another Jesuit and his excellent views on teaching) those methods which were learner-centric appeared to have far more merit than the one focused on the teacher as a fountain of knowledge.
Pick-and-Choose
Thornbury doesn’t conclude the book as such. His 30th method of “Principled Eclecticism” argues that a good teacher ought to pick and choose aspects of multiple methods and then apply the resultant combination to their classroom and context. This sort of customization is key to modern learning.
It is the simple truth that what may work for one topic and one set of learners may not work for another. Thus, the mythical trained teacher is simply the person who knows when to adapt and cater to a method based on the situation and learner at hand.
Reading this book is certainly a deft way of starting on that path.
There aren’t 30 methods of subscribing to this newsletter. Clicking the above button is the best way. Do read this book regardless of whether you are a teacher; you’ll be surprised by what you may pick up.