Publisher's Synopsis
Globalization, including the growth of a globalized knowledge-based economy has brought about unprecedented access to information, global conversations and relationships, and economic growth and, in some places, exploitation. The rapid movement of people, ideas and knowledge has highlighted the need to better understand the diverse nature of society, cultures and values. Globalization has increased the diversity of teachers, students and community members engaged in education, in face-to-face and 'virtual' learning situations, who bring extraordinarily diverse histories, experiences, and backgrounds to learning. The reality of globalization has brought an increasing recognition that people in all spheres of life, and particularly in education, need to develop an intercultural capability that is, being able to negotiate meanings across languages and cultures. It has also brought an increasing realization that a capability in English only is insufficient, despite its status in the world, and that being a bilingual, or indeed multilingual, person has become the norm. Contemporary information and communication technologies have become integral to people's lives, and increasingly mediate learning, knowledge and communication. They have altered the very way people relate with each other, with knowledge, with the economy and, most particularly, with learning. Languages have a central role in this context because they mediate the interpretation and making of meaning among people within and across languages. The act of teaching and learning is intricate, not something that can be reduced to a few methodological prescriptions. Furthermore, the role of teachers is not one of simply receiving prescriptions from others that are subsequently 'implemented' in their context. Rather, teachers come to the act of teaching and learning with their own dynamic framework of knowledge and understanding of their own personal, social, cultural and linguistic make-up and that of their students. Their experiences, beliefs, ethical values, motivations and commitments are part of their framework of knowledge and contribute to their stance and identity as a teacher. In teaching, the teacher's framework interacts with those of their students as they work together to develop new understandings. This Book, a compendium of articles and research papers, provides a description of the basic principles and procedures of the most recognized and commonly used approaches and methods for teaching a second or foreign language. This book is a resource for languages teachers to use in reflecting on languages education, their role as languages teachers, and their programs and pedagogies in relation to contemporary educational understandings and contexts. Globalization, including the growth of a globalized knowledge-based economy has brought about unprecedented access to information, global conversations and relationships, and economic growth and, in some places, exploitation. The rapid movement of people, ideas and knowledge has highlighted the need to better understand the diverse nature of society, cultures and values. Globalization has increased the diversity of teachers, students and community members engaged in education, in face-to-face and 'virtual' learning situations, who bring extraordinarily diverse histories, experiences, and backgrounds to learning. The reality of globalization has brought an increasing recognition that people in all spheres of life, and particularly in education, need to develop an intercultural capability that is, being able to negotiate meanings across languages and cultures. It has also brought an increasing realization that a capability in English only is insufficient, despite its status in the world, and that being a bilingual, or indeed multilingual, person has become the norm. Contemporary information and communication technologies have become integral to people's lives, and increasingly mediate learning, knowledge and communication. They have altered the very way people relate with each other, with knowledge, with the economy and, most particularly, with learning. Languages have a central role in this context because they mediate the interpretation and making of meaning among people within and across languages. The act of teaching and learning is intricate, not something that can be reduced to a few methodological prescriptions. Furthermore, the role of teachers is not one of simply receiving prescriptions from others that are subsequently 'implemented' in their context. Rather, teachers come to the act of teaching and learning with their own dynamic framework of knowledge and understanding of their own personal, social, cultural and linguistic make-up and that of their students. Their experiences, beliefs, ethical values, motivations and commitments are part of their framework of knowledge and contribute to their stance and identity as a teacher. In teaching, the teacher's framework interacts with those of their students as they work together to develop new understandings. This Book, a compendium of articles and research papers, provides a description of the basic principles and procedures of the most recognized and commonly used approaches and methods for teaching a second or foreign language. This book is a resource for languages teachers to use in reflecting on languages education, their role as languages teachers, and their programs and pedagogies in relation to contemporary educational understandings and contexts. Globalization, including the growth of a globalized knowledge-based economy has brought about unprecedented access to information, global conversations and relationships, and economic growth and, in some places, exploitation. The rapid movement of people, ideas and knowledge has highlighted the need to better understand the diverse nature of society, cultures and values. Globalization has increased the diversity of teachers, students and community members engaged in education, in face-to-face and 'virtual' learning situations, who bring extraordinarily diverse histories, experiences, and backgrounds to learning. The reality of globalization has brought an increasing recognition that people in all spheres of life, and particularly in education, need to develop an intercultural capability that is, being able to negotiate meanings across languages and cultures. It has also brought an increasing realization that a capability in English only is insufficient, despite its status in the world, and that being a bilingual, or indeed multilingual, person has become the norm. Contemporary information and communication technologies have become integral to people's lives, and increasingly mediate learning, knowledge and communication. They have altered the very way people relate with each other, with knowledge, with the economy and, most particularly, with learning. Languages have a central role in this context because they mediate the interpretation and making of meaning among people within and across languages. The act of teaching and learning is intricate, not something that can be reduced to a few methodological prescriptions. Furthermore, the role of teachers is not one of simply receiving prescriptions from others that are subsequently 'implemented' in their context. Rather, teachers come to the act of teaching and learning with their own dynamic framework of knowledge and understanding of their own personal, social, cultural and linguistic make-up and that of their students. Their experiences, beliefs, ethical values, motivations and commitments are part of their framework of knowledge and contribute to their stance and identity as a teacher. In teaching, the teacher's framework interacts with those of their students as they work together to develop new understandings. This Book, a compendium of articles and research papers, provides a description of the basic principles and procedures of the most recognized and commonly used approaches and methods for teaching a second or foreign language. This book is a resource for languages teachers to use in reflecting on languages education, their role as languages teachers, and their programs and pedagogies in relation to contemporary educational understandings and contexts.
