Understanding Language Classroom Contexts: The starting point for change

Description

Arguably the whole point of education is to effect change in what people know and are able to do. Globalization has contributed to a common perception worldwide of the need to introduce changes to the teaching and learning of languages. The success of many attempts to do so has been limited by insufficient consideration of implementation contexts. Understanding Language Classroom Contexts explores and illustrates how what happens in any (language) classroom is influenced by (and can be an influence on) the contexts in which it is situated. A clear understanding of these influences is thus the starting point for planning effective change. The book considers many visible and invisible features of the multiple layers of any context, and provides a framework for understanding the types of factors that may influence whether changes (planned by a teacher or externally initiated) are likely to be successful. The book will help teachers (and educational managers or change planners outside the classroom) to understand why their classrooms are as they are and so to make informed decisions about what can or cannot (or not easily) be changed, and suggests how any changes might be appropriately managed. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Who we are and why we have written this book 2. Who might find this book useful? 3. What is in the book? 4. Chapter outlines 5. Ways to use the book 1 Components of contexts Introduction 1. Description of a context 2. Developing a framework for understanding context 3. The context of place 4. Time 5. People 6. Summary and task 2 Exploring culture Introduction 1. Exploring CULTURE 2. The historical perspective 3. Seeing the relevance of ‘Culture’ to our purpose 4. Classroom cultures 5. Summary and task 3 Language and languages in education Introduction 1. Language and learning 1.2 The Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding 2. Languages in contexts 3. The global importance of English 4. The Importance of English in and to your country 5. Where English is taught or used in the education system 6. Summary and task 4 From cultures to methods Introduction 1. Why do methods change? 2. A brief history of methods: The Grammar Translation Method (GTM) 3. A brief history of methods: The Audio-Lingual method (ALM) 4. A brief history of methods: Humanistic methods 5. Summary and task 5 From methods to approaches Introduction 1. Communicative approaches 2. Changing perceptions of language 3. Language syllabuses and language exams 4. Communicative approaches in different contexts 5. Conclusion 6. Summary and task 6 Teachers and learners: As part of and creators of their context Introduction 1. Teachers and learners and contexts 2. On people creating contexts of and for learning 3. What people feel 4. Summary and task 7 Teachers and learners: As ‘products’ of their context Introduction 1. People as products of contexts: Factors distinguishing individual teachers 2. People as products of contexts: Factors distinguishing individual learners 3. Good language learner 4. Teachers as learners and learners as teachers 5. Summary and task 8 Schools and classrooms: Physical and cultural contexts Introduction 1. Visible features of the classroom or institutional context 2. Some reasons why ‘large’ classes exist 3. School/institutional culture 4. Cultures of organisations 5. School leadership 6. Schein’s levels of organisational culture 7. Summary and task 9 Planning and implementing classroom change Introduction 1. Teacher-initiated classroom changes 2. Externally initiated classroom changes 3. A parallel learning model 4. Summary and task 10 Conclusions: On understanding language classroom contexts and the process of change Introduction 1. Summarising the book 2. And finally . . . Index