Second Language Learning and Language Teaching

Rating:
Summary: Bridging the gap between theory and practice
Review: Teachers often complain that research results and theories do not help them much when it comes to choosing materials or deciding on activities: the nuts and bolts of teaching in other words. On the other hand, researchers as well as some teachers complain that teachers all too often ignore research findings and base their teaching on their own unexamined and sometimes unfounded ideas and beliefs.
Well, here is a book that helps bridge the gap between second language acquisition research and teaching practice. Vivian Cook (a reader at the University of Essex in the UK for many years, he will move to Newcastle University in October 2004) provides here an overview of some of the most salient points from second language acquisition research and links them with teaching practice by examining samples from published EFL/ESL textbooks (50 of them, all indexed) from around the world.
This is a book for practising or trainee EFL/ESL teachers. There is frequent reference to other languages (for language awareness) and to a variety of research on different ethnic groups of learners. While the book is obviously somewhat technical, given its intended readership, each section is preceded by a mini glossary and discussion questions.
Cook ranges widely. There are sections or chapters on: learning and teaching different types of grammar; writing, spelling and vocabulary; individual factors that affect learning (sex, age, motivation, cognitive and learning styles); on pronunciation; on the goals of language teaching, which includes a look at national educational objectives in different countries; on models of L2 learning (the input theory, Universal Grammar, communicative models, audio-lingual method, etc).
I enjoyed Cook's dry wit and his personal comments on some of the research findings and teaching methods he describes. For instance, on the question of L2 users versus native speakers (Ch 7), he points out: "Teachers should be clear in their minds that they are usually teaching people how to use two languages, not how to use one in isolation....The aim is not to produce L2 speakers who can only use the language when speaking with each other. Myhill (1990), for instance, points out that English materials for Aboriginals in Australia, such as 'Tracks' (Northern Territory, 1979), reflect their own lifestyle rather than that of the English-speaking community: what's the point in them speaking to each other in English? Nor should the aim be to produce imitation native speakers, except perhaps for trainee spies."
Cook provides a British perspective, often lacking in EFL/ESL books (such as Lightbown and Spada's "How Language are Learned"). The overview of methods includes "British mainstream EFL".
An informative and stimulating book, particularly for teaches who have been away from theory or research for a while.