Appropriate methodology and social context / Adrian Holliday.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Holliday, Adrian.

Series:

Cambridge language teaching library

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

English language--Study and teaching.

English language.

English language--Study and teaching--Social aspects.

Comparative education.

Educational anthropology.

Physical Description:

x, 237 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1994.

Summary:

The methodology of English language education has been developed mainly in the English-speaking countries of 'the West' and does not always fit the needs of the rest of the world. This important and controversial book investigates this state of affairs by looking at the wider social context of what happens between teachers and students. It uses an ethnographic framework to explore the complex and diverse cultures of classrooms, of student groups and teacher communities in different countries and educational environments. It goes on to argue that these factors have to be acknowledged in the design and implementation of appropriate methodologies. Although a major concern is with classroom teaching, the methodologies for curriculum and project management and design are also addressed.

This book is essential reading for anyone wishing to address the needs of students in the context of their cultural backgrounds. It will be of interest to teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum developers and project managers from around the world who find that current literature in English language education does not apply to their situation. It will be a core text for courses, at Master's level, in curriculum design and implementation, project management, the management of innovation and change, and classroom research.

Contents:

Part A The cultures of the classroom 9

Chapter 1 The social context

1.1 In search of what happens between people 9

1.2 A division in the profession 11

1.3 Which social context? 13

1.4 The classroom and its environment 15

1.5 Finding out what we need to know 16

Chapter 2 'Coral gardens'

2.1 Metaphors for the classroom 21

2.2 Cultures of specific activities 22

2.3 Patterns for group life 23

2.4 Transmission and learning 25

2.5 Personality and ethics 25

2.6 Change and stress 26

2.7 Diversity and interconnection 28

2.8 'Coral gardens' 31

2.9 A note on terminology 31

Chapter 3 The variety of classroom cultures

3.1 Pace and flow 34

3.2 Teaching spectacles and learning festivals 36

3.3 Large- and small-class cultures 37

3.4 Deep and surface action 40

3.5 Need for caution 48

Chapter 4 Student groups

4.1 The learning group ideal 53

4.2 The national cultural argument 54

4.3 The need to consider smaller cultures 55

4.4 The problem of appropriacy 61

4.5 Non-pedagogic factors 64

Chapter 5 Teacher groups

5.1 The power of subjects 69

5.2 Collectionism and integrationism 71

5.3 The development of BANA English language teaching 74

5.4 Setting the scene for conflict 80

5.5 Implications for the social context 87

Part B Sources of conflict 93

Chapter 6 Technology transfer

6.1 The special needs of state education 93

6.2 The political power of language teaching 95

6.3 A responsibility to understand 102

6.4 Transferability of the learning group ideal 104

Chapter 7 The politics of projects

7.1 Culture conflict 110

7.2 'Real world' problems 113

7.3 Local perceptions 116

7.4 Intercompetence 123

Chapter 8 'Calculated procrastination'

8.1 Implications for project management 126

8.2 Deep action 129

8.3 Tissue rejection 134

8.4 Isolation of the project culture 137

8.5 Cultural imperialism? 139

Chapter 9 Teachers' and students' lessons

9.1 Two lessons 142

9.2 The myth of expatriate success 147

9.3 The possibility of integration 155

9.4 The parameters for local teacher success 158

Part C Appropriate methodology design 160

Chapter 10 A culture-sensitive approach

10.1 Learning about the classroom 161

10.2 The prerequisities of an appropriate methodology 164

10.3 A communicative approach? 165

10.4 The elements of a communicative approach 167

10.5 The myth of learner-centredness 174

10.6 Becoming-appropriate classroom methodology 177

Chapter 11 Solving classroom problems

11.1 A methodological attitude 180

11.2 Te1ching grammar in a large class 184

11.3 Unfinished, thick descriptions 191

11.4 The question of expertise 192

Chapter 12 Curriculum and project design

12.1 The project and the curriculum 195

12.2 Getting close to local 'real worlds' 198

12.3 Curriculum developer as ethnographer 203

12.4 Curriculum developer as opportunist 209

12.5 Learning from project experience 211

12.6 Moral issues 212

12.7 Achieving an 'appropriate methodology' 215.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-232) and index.

ISBN:

0521431565

0521437458

OCLC:

29027257