Job Discussion Forums

[Stephen Jones]

I actually agree with nearly everything Krasehn recommends in practice. It's simply that the theory is snake-oil.

I fail to see how Chomsky can directly influence second language teaching. I also fail to see how Saussure or Mueller and the Sanskritists can have any direct effect on the teaching of English.

Total Immersion probably works as well or as badly in China or elsewhere. However questions such as class size, motivation, homogenity of English level, amount of exposure to English and quality of materials are all going to be more important than the particular methodology chosen, and indeed should be taken into account when chosing the methodology and materials.

[thelmadatter]

I got my MA in English Language and Linguistics (essentially TESOL but the program tries hard to make its association with teaching as vague as possible) in 2003 and I have to say that the experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Teaching is dissed and research is king. Also, certain research conclusion (those in vogue) are not to be questioned as much as "diversity of opinion" and "questioning authority" is supposedly valued.

Knowing something about theories is nice to get new ideas but many of these researchers dont spend time teaching in the real world and dis those of us who do.

No thanks

[moonraven]

Do you folks think that research is conducted in order to find something out?

If you do, I have a cheap bridge in Brooklyn you should take a look at.

Most research is conducted to get publications and thereby increase one's chance of being awarded tenure at a university. There is an incredible amount of bogus stuff out there--but since nobody really reads it anyway, it just keeps coming.

Try replicating some of the psychological research studies. I remember when my husband did that more than 30 years ago when he was teaching Experimental Psychology-- and his results were diametrically opposed to those suppposedly produced in several of the original studies. When he wrote to the folks who conducted the priginal studies, they did not respond. Well, how could they?

I myself published a 100% bogus interview and analysis of a Pooping Burglar in a psychological journal. The warden at the maximum security prison wouldn't let me interview the guy, so I just made it up. At least it was funny....Most of that stuff isn't funny, nor even readable--except for the author's name....which is all that counts.

At least the jokers doing the research and publishing results are getting a pay off from it. Those who choose to use it in the classroom, for example--so far as this poster can tell--are not doing anything but placing obstacles in the way of their students'--and their own--learning.

[marblez]

What distinguishes them (as jokers) from you? You just said that you published a bogus interview that you made up.

[moonraven]

I didn't do it to get the "academic publication"--I did it to prove a point. And then I wrote an article about doing it to expose the insubstantiality of so-called research.