I sometimes think that educational researchers, particularly applied linguists, would benefit greatly from taking occasional time out from their work to engage in what we might call ‘empathetic observation’. It’s rather a simple idea: An academic shadows a teacher at their place of work for a few days to learn as much as possible from…… Continue reading Empathetic observation
Category: Teacher education
The myth of a theory-practice gap in education
…what is actually being invoked is a difference between what we might call ‘academic theory’ and ‘practitioner theory’, and that is a very different type of gap…
Where the teachers are all students
If you were to pay a visit to Fithi1 Junior School on a Saturday or Sunday, you could be mistaken for presuming it was a regular day’s schooling. Children are in classes, some working silently, others engaged in discussion activities, and someone is stood at the board, guiding the learning… It’s only when you peek…… Continue reading Where the teachers are all students
The TATE framework for curriculum design in language teaching
Rod Ellis recently proposed (2019) a modular framework for curriculum design in language teaching combining task-based language teaching (TBLT) and task-supported language teaching (TSLT). When I first read his proposal, I was somewhat surprised, because these two approaches are often perceived as incompatible (e.g., Long, 2015), based as they are on very different theories of…… Continue reading The TATE framework for curriculum design in language teaching
Can teachers learn from interactive reflection? A study into Schön’s reflection-in-action
Reflection-in-action is a highly influential, yet often misunderstood construct that is central to Donald Schön’s epistemology of practitioner learning (Schön, 1983, 1987). Particularly in the field of teaching it has often been understood to mean simply ‘thinking on one’s feet’ (e.g., Francis, 1995). Yet, within Schön’s epistemology, its importance was much more than this, as…… Continue reading Can teachers learn from interactive reflection? A study into Schön’s reflection-in-action
Translingual practices in English language classrooms in India
My latest research paper, co-authored with Amy Lightfoot of British Council S. Asia, explores the complexity of language use practices in English language classrooms across India. It reports on a survey (quantitative and qualitative) that we conducted with 169 Indian teachers last year, and sought to find out about what have traditionally been called ‘L1-use…… Continue reading Translingual practices in English language classrooms in India
‘The future of training’ or The elephant that swallowed the room
This is a copy of the guest blog I wrote for the International House Teacher Training Blog here. The IH ‘Future of Training’ Conference (23-24 November 2018) will mark 65 years of teacher training at IH London, the ancestral home of the initial ELT certification course that later became the Cambridge CELTA. It promises both…… Continue reading ‘The future of training’ or The elephant that swallowed the room
ELT Journal Article: Affordance, learning opportunities and the lesson plan pro forma
My recent article for ELT Journal is available free online, here, as it was selected as Editor’s Choice article for July 2015. Oxford University Press also asked me to record a short introductory video, now posted on YouTube, where I can be seen doing my Tommy Cooper impression (not discussed in the article): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReNGZQ90YAo&list=FL_Ny_v5SlZ2aoD0Lljy0lng&index=1 If you…… Continue reading ELT Journal Article: Affordance, learning opportunities and the lesson plan pro forma
Jason Anderson 