Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language
Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language, Second Edition is for novice ESL/EFL teachers as well as self-motivated teachers who want to optimize their own potential and improve their students’ learning. This resource contains essential information that ESL/EFL teachers should be aware of before beginning to teach, as well as numerous suggestions for how to help students improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. It emphasizes the varied aspect of teaching English to non-native speakers and is based on teachers’ real-life experiences.
Educational English as a Foreign or Second Language, Second Edition contains a broader range of examples to correspond with a variety of teaching environments, ranging from K-12 schools through university intensive language programs and refugee programs. It’s also been updated with technological topics throughout, and it analyzes how technology may be utilized to educate language skills. Each chapter and the appendices contain resources for further research.
Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language book Review
Following my reading of Gebhard’s work, I decided to check what others had to say about it. One reviewer gave the book only one star, which astonished me. However, after reading the review, I concluded that this individual had not read the book. He simply concluded he didn’t like the book since he believed the author had his pals write the reviews. Without having read the book, his critique is akin to dismissing a person based on what you’ve heard about her.
Gebhard’s book appeals to me since he makes no claims to know the best way to teach. Rather, he wants us to learn how to make our own decisions in the classroom as ESL teachers or future teachers. He presents numerous examples of what we can do as educators. (I particularly enjoy his section on teaching skills — discussion, listening, reading, and writing — as well as his chapter on culture and instruction.) He also addresses real-world issues that instructors face, as well as providing several examples of activities and materials that experienced educators employ. He, on the other hand, does not advise teachers how to teach.
The book is thought-provoking and easy to read. I can strongly suggest it as an ESL teacher.
