Book recommendations Archives

Communicative vs Situational Language Teaching

Submitted by Hien, Hanoi National University of Education, Vietnam

What are the differences between Communicative Language Teaching and Situational Language Teaching?

Please consult the chapters in Richards and Rodgers (3rd edition), where there in extensive discussion of both approaches.

Submitted by Nesma, Egypt

Could you please recommend books on the role of listening in second language learning?

Dr Richards responds:

Dr. Richards’ recommendations:

Field, J. (2008) Listening in the Language Classroom, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Flowerdew, J. and Miller, L. (2005) Second Language Listening, New York: Cambridge University Press.
Lynch, T. (2009) Teaching Second Language Listening, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Richards, J. C. and Burns, A. (2012) Tips for Teaching Listening, New York: Pearson.
Vandergrift, L. and Goh, C. (2012) Teaching and Learning Second Language Listening: Metacognition in Action, New York: Routledge.
Wilson, J. J. (2008) How to Teach Listening, Harlow, Essex: Pearson Longman.

Submitted by Artemis, UK

What books can you recommend on professional development?

Here are some suggestions:

Borg, Simon. 2006. Teacher Cognition and Language Education. London: Continuum.
Burns.,Anne. 2010. Doing Action research in English Language teaching: A Guide for Practitioners. New York: Routledge.
Burns, Anne and Jack C Richards (Eds). Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Richards Jack C and Thomas Farrell. Professional Development for Language Teachers. New York: Cambridge University Press 2005
Roberts, Jon. 1998. Language Teacher Education. London: Arnold.
Tedick, Diane J. (Ed). 2005. Second Language Teacher Education: International Perspectives. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

Submitted by Monserrath Ramirez, Ecuador

Can you recommend books about the methodology teaching speaking?

I recommend the following:

Bygate, Martin 1987. Speaking. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Fulcher, Glen 2003. Testing Second Language Speaking. Harlow: Pearson.
Goh, Christine C.M. and Anne Burns. 2012. Teaching Speaking: A Holistic Approach. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Luoma, Sari 2004. Assessing Speaking. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pridham, Francesca 2001. The Language of Conversation. London: Routledge.
Thornbury, Scott. 2005. How to Teach Speaking. Harlow: Longman.
Thornbury, Scott and Diana Slade. 2006. Conversation: From Description to Pedagogy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.