The Organisation Of Innovation In Language Education

Questions about what to teach and how best to teach it are what drive professional practice in the English language classroom. Innovation and change in English language education addresses these key questions so that teachers are able to understand and manage change to organise teaching and learning more effectively. The book provides an accessible introduction to current theory and research in innovation and change in ELT and shows how these understandings have been applied to the practical concerns of the curriculum and the classroom. In specially commissioned chapters written by experts in the field, the volume sets out the key issues in innovation and change and shows how these relate to actual practice offers a guide to innovation and change in key areas grounded in research relates theory to practice through the use of illustrative case studies and examples brings together the very best scholarship in TESOL and language education from around the world This book will be of interest to upper undergraduate and graduate students in applied linguistics, language education and TESOL as well as pre-service and in-service teachers, teacher educators, researchers and administrators keen to create and manage teaching and learning more effectively.

This book examines the links between globalisation and the way we teach and learn languages.

This book presents a critical analysis and investigation of current developments and debates in the use of information technology (IT) in English language teaching (ELT) internationally. The first section of the book provides an overview of the key issues in IT and innovation in English language education such as the complex nature of IT and its use in ELT, both in the present and future, and the often problematic nature of innovation in relation to IT and ELT. It focuses primarily on the level of programs and curricula, looking at the way organizations and educational systems in different countries respond to the so-called “IT imperative.” The second section adopts a more overtly social constructivist perspective to explore examples of innovative practice in IT use in ELT around the world. It tackles issues arising from classroom implementation and pedagogy, looking at the way learners and teachers can and do use IT in their everyday practice. The final section investigates the problems of building a community of professional practice in IT in English language education. It focuses on the level of professional development and teacher education and in doing so, demonstrates how the implementation of IT in schools and classrooms can be enhanced through taking into account key aspects of teachers’ existing contexts and professional practices. Throughout the book, the contributors adopt a constructive but critical perspective on the use of IT in English language education, often challenging its role in developing learner autonomy, its effectiveness in developing language learning and its capacity to enhance pedagogic practice in the language teaching classroom, at the same time suggesting effective models and guidelines for good practice.

Measuring innovation in education and understanding how it works is essential to improve the quality of the education sector. Monitoring systematically how pedagogical practices evolve would considerably increase the international education knowledge base. We need to examine whether, and how ...

Managing Evaluation and Innovation in Language Teaching focuses on the connections to be made between evaluation and change in language education with a specific focus on English Language Teaching. The book demonstrates the central importance of evaluation in relation to language projects and programmes, the management of change and innovation, and in improving language teacher development. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the present trends in evaluation as well as offering examples of recent evaluation projects. Subsequent chapters identify contemporary issues in evaluation and their relevance to language teaching, covering a number of cultural and ethnographic studies in evaluation management in different world-wide contexts, as well as drawing insights from other related disciplines. The editors seek to draw attention to the possibilities of inter-disciplinary exchange to inform the reader of current practice, and highlight emerging issues in the expanding field of evaluation in language teaching, especially in ELT. The contemporary nature of the studies presented here will be relevant to both post graduate students following language education programmes as well as to professionals involved in language teaching. It will be of particular interest to those involved in the management of innovation and the evaluation of projects and programmes, such as curriculum developers, Director of Studies, and professionals with a special responsibility for bringing about change in language teaching contexts.

This volume focuses on innovative approaches to teaching foreign language courses offered to non-language degree students. It includes essays related to the innovative use of ICTs, new developments in methodology, approaches to course and materials design, and the contribution of language theory to foreign language teaching. As the book brings together researchers and practitioners working in a variety of contexts, it provides detailed insight into ways the same challenges are dealt with in different educational environments. The ideas and experiences analysed in this collection of essays will appeal to anyone interested in the current trends in foreign language teaching and learning, particularly educationalists. The best practices in FLT that the book offers will be a source of inspiration for in-service teachers and course designers, while the theoretical backgrounds provided in each chapter will be valuable to pre-service teachers and stimulating to researchers.

This book reignites discussion on the importance of collaboration and innovation in language education. The pivotal difference highlighted in this volume is the concept of team learning through collaborative relationships such as team teaching. It explores ways in which team learning happens in ELT environments and what emerges from these explorations is a more robust concept of team learning in language education. Coupled with this deeper understanding, the value of participant research is emphasised by defining the notion of ‘team’ to include all participants in the educational experience. Authors in this volume position practice ahead of theory as they struggle to make sense of the complex phenomena of language teaching and learning. The focus of this book is on the nexus between ELT theory and practice as viewed through the lens of collaboration. The volume aims to add to the current knowledge base in order to bridge the theory-practice gap regarding collaboration for innovation in language classrooms.