Teaching English as a Foreign Language - Book Report/Review Example

Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Education as a whole has many facets, and each facet is structured in such a manner that there are core concepts that have to be grasped. As such, the educative methods and processes are often structured along these core concepts in such a way that the most effective education system has to optimize the grasping of the core concepts by the learners. This means that there are different learning methods in light of the different aims of education. Education cannot be viewed as an abstract undertaking with specific outcomes. Rather, it is the integration of all the various aspects of learning. Given that these aspects cannot be structured in a manner that makes them appear as one, education systems have to delineate the different needs for education into subunits that are applicable to the different learning levels and learner abilities (Stern 1983, p. 61). Therefore, this is also the framework upon which teaching English as a foreign language is based. However, it is worth noting that teaching a language brings up an entirely different approach to learning as it touches on more than the cognitive abilities and consciousness of a learner (Richards and Rodgers 2014, p. 22). Therefore, an effective evaluation of methods for teaching English as a foreign language, with particular emphasis on the communicative method through the perspective of Face2Face (Pre-Intermediate) by Redston Chris and Cunningham Gillie, can sufficiently aid in understanding the intrigues that surround teaching English as a foreign language. Book Overview. Face2Face (Pre-Intermediate) is structured in such a manner that there are 12units each of which has its own lessons and criteria for evaluating the learners progress after every unit. The book is also designed in such a way that the various exercises are effectively named according to the topic of English that they touch on. This means that for exercises that touch on the vocabularies, the naming is aptly put as ‘Vocabulary’ (Appendix 1). Additionally, exercise that assist leaners with grammar or those that assist the students with listening are put as ‘Help with Grammar’ for the former and ‘Help with Listening’ for the latter (Appendix 2). This naming system is essential in ensuring that the learners have a good grasp of what they are learning, in addition to making the content easy to understand, as opposed to how the situation would be had the exercises be named otherwise (Johnson 2001, p. 36). Moreover, the book makes learning easier by ensuring that the learners have the ability to keep check of their activities through the ‘Review’ and ‘Progress Portfolio’ after every unit (Appendix 3). Additionally, the leaners can prepare their listening and reading skills through the various listening and speaking exercises that make a major part of the book. Moreover, there are numerous elements of the book that require the learners to carry out various activities in pairs. This is aimed at ensuring that their speaking and listening skills are chiseled to the desired shape, and not only does the book facilitate individual learning, but it also pushes for desirable social behavior through the inclination that demands learners to carry out activities in groups (Richards 1984, p. 14). Therefore, this book is very effective in teaching students who are interested more on the social elements of learning English than the writing aspects. Another aspect that makes the book stand out is the way that most of the vocabularies taught are structured on facets of the society that the learners are most likely to identify with. This means that elements such as Family and Friends, Work Rest and Play, and the various subunits used in the book are all easily relatable (Appendix 4). This make it easier for the learners to connect with the vocabulary that they learn from the units, resulting in a more effective and efficient learning mechanism. In all, the core method used in the Face2Face (Pre-Intermediate) is the way that the aspects of language are structured on real-life situations to enable for a deeper interest and a lasting impact on the learners. This in addition to the modular approach through themes make the book one of the most efficient in teaching English as a foreign language. Communicative evaluation. Face2Face is largely based on a communicative approach of teaching English as a foreign language. This is due to the various activities and exercises that are based on the basics that define the communicative language teaching. The Communicative approach of teaching language is based on the aspects of stressing the elements of communication and as the only way of facilitating the learning of a language. Additionally, communicative approach of teaching language is based on certain classroom activities that are structured on emphasizing the use of language and communication (Cook 2001, p. 97). As such, there are activities such as pairing up while doing certain tasks, role-playing to facilitate communication, participating in games and any other form of interaction that facilitates communication and interaction between learners. Moreover, the communicative approach is not only limited to the activities that are based on interactive aspects, rather, there are instances whereby the communicative approach uses techniques such as grammar exercises. However, this is not particularly common, though certain instances of the communicative approach use a mixture of classic communicative techniques such as role-play and language exchanges while integrating them with non-interactive processes such as written exercises (Harmer 2007, p. 49). However, this does not mean that the approach is limited in communicative aspects, rather, it means that the elements of communicative approach are being augmented by the non-interactive features of language teaching. The communicative approach of teaching language also focuses on using the elements of interactive learning as both a method and an end-result or product. This means that while the interactive methods are used to facilitate the learning of language, the ultimate goal of learning the language is also to facilitate efficient communication (Johnson 1982, p. 33). Therefore, this draws conclusions in that the framework upon which the communicative approach is based is also the ultimate goal of the aspect of language teaching. Face2Face is largely communicative, due to the various activities that necessitate the interaction of learners among themselves. The book lays significant emphasis on pairing up while taking part in the various activities. Pairing up can only be effective when the learners are able to appreciate the virtues of interacting among each other (Larsen-Freeman 2000, p. 91). This means that the various activities that call for the pairing up of learners demonstrate the level of communicativeness highlighted in the book. Throughout the various chapters, there are activities that are exclusively based on interactive activities such that without interaction among the learners, the activity cannot stand as a method of teaching a foreign language. We can therefore draw the conclusion that Face2Face is largely communicative. In fact, most of the learning activities are structured on the communicative elements that emphasize on interactive activities. Face2Face is largely made up of aspects of real communication that are structured towards being as close to the real life scenarios as possible, and this highlights the high extent to which the book is based on the communicative approach. Reflections on other approaches. In addition to the communicative approach, Face2Face also reflects on the Natural approach of teaching a foreign language. The natural approach is based on creating a learning environment structured on the real-life aspects that the learners are most likely to find themselves in while in the society (Krashen and Terrell 1983, p. 121). This means that activities that stress the importance of education form the core of the natural approach. In addition, the natural approach of teaching language is based on the precincts of making the learning environment ordinary while also aiming to correct any errors that may not be guided by the naturalistic nature of the environment (Larsen-Freeman 2000, p. 111). One of the most important elements of the natural approach is its emphasis on communication, thereby drawing the relationship between the major emphases in Face2Face and the natural approach. Face2Face is basically based on creating activities that facilitate the coupling up of learners in such a manner that their communication techniques are nurtured and structured on the features that make it more applicable in the real-life scenario. While this is the generalization of Face2Face as a whole, it is greatly similar to the structure that defines the natural approach of teaching a foreign language. Therefore, this highlights the way that the book reflects on the natural approach of teaching English. Additionally, Face2Face reflects on the task-based approach of learning language due to the various tasks that the learners are expected to undertake. The task based approach is based on the elements of learning language through specific tasks that are structured on activities that focus on making the learners effective at understanding the core concepts of the language (Nunan 2004, p. 89). Consequently, the various activities in Face2Face such as the focus on working in pairs towards achieving certain goals is so that the learners may have experience in performing tasks such that they are conversant with the necessary skills in the English language (Harmer 2007, p. 99). The point of reflection in the book is based on the correlation that can be drawn between the major factors that define task based learning approach and the core method emphasized in the book. In addition, the tasks in Face2Face are generally communicative in nature, but there is a relationship between the communicative approach and the task based approach, since the communicative approach is typically made up of tasks that extend to the task based approach (Littlewood 1981, p. 77). As such, this is the relationship that can be drawn between the book and the task based language teaching. Adapting material from the book One of the major aspects form the book is the manner that the activities are basically structured such that they are only for pairs. A pair means that only a maximum of two learners can take part in any one activity for the most optimization. While this is not bad, the communicative approach calls for interactive techniques, and this means that the activities could be made more interactive if the number of learners was increased (Stern 1983, p. 154). As such, the limit of pairing up learners can be done away with and the tasks structured on more than two learners. This means that each tasks can then be based on more than two, making the interactive elements even more pronounced. Therefore, this would eventually lead to the communicative approach becoming even more advanced. The book also focuses on various tasks in line with achieving the interactive nature of the communicative approach. While the array of activities is somehow sufficient, they are not as interactive since most of them are based on activities that basically require the learners to do repetitive tasks over and over in a bid to reinforce the concepts learnt. This can be changed by ensuring that there are even more tasks and activities that focus more on a wide array of tasks than repetitive tasks structured on reinforcing a point (Rivers 1981, p. 56). This would mean that the learners get the opportunity to maximize on the interactive aspects of the tasks, thereby improving the communicative aspects of the learning process. Additionally, the book focuses more on the abstractness of the vocabulary that it teaches through the learning activities, and this may not necessarily be effective or convenient on the part of the learners. The material should be generally more interesting and appealing to the learners, and this could be achieved by incorporating games so that the interest of the learners is tapped (Johnson 2001, p. 67). One of the most important features of the communicative approach is that it is best suited for activities that are of particular interest to the learners. As such, structuring the activities on a game format ultimately makes them much more effective at achieving the goals of the communicative approach of teaching language (Krashen 1982, p. 101). Education of any kind has a wide array of aspects that have to be considered on the course of its dispensation. In the case of teaching English as a foreign language, there are numerous approaches, as highlighted by the foregoing analysis that mainly focuses on the communicative approach particularly in the book Face2Face. Additionally, the reflections on the natural approach and the task based approach facilitate the drawing of comparisons for the further evaluation pf how Face2Face is important in identifying effective methods and developments in teaching English as a foreign language (St. Pierre 1979, p. 7). References. Cook, V. (2001). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cunningham, G. and Redston, C. (2012). Face2Face Pre-Intermediate Student’s Book with DVD-ROM. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Harlow: Pearson Education. Johnson, K. (1982). Communicative Syllabus Design and Methodology. Oxford: Pergamon. Johnson, K. (2001). An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching. London: Longman. Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and Practices in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon. Krashen, S. D., and T. D. Terrell. (1983). The Natural Approach: Language Acquisition in the Classroom. Oxford: Pergamon. Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Littlewood, W. (1981). Communicative Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Nunan, D. (2004). Task-based Language Teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press. Richards, J.C. and Rodgers, T.S. (2014). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, 3rd Ed. New York: Cambridge University Press. Rivers, W. (1981). Teaching Foreign Language Skills. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Richards, J. C. (1984). Language Curriculum Development. RELC Journal 15(1): 1-29 St. Pierre, R.G. (1979). The role of multiple analyses in quasi-experimental evaluations. Educations Evaluation and Policy Analysis 1(6): 5-10. Stern, H.H. (1983). Fundamental Concepts of Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Appendices. Appendix 1: Image showing the use of appropriate titles to convey the contents of the subject being discussed. Appendix 2: Image highlighting the tests for listening and grammar as used in the book Face2Face. Appendix 3: Image highlighting the effective implementation of self-evaluation and review. Appendix 4: A sample of the relatable titles and headings that characterize every unit in Face2Face, thereby depicting the personal approach the book takes in teaching English. Read More