Korean Job Discussion Forums

[withnail]

http://www.thornburyscott.com/tu/Dogma%20article.htm

I was looking over a few seminal articles on EFL methodology recently and came across this one. Anyone remember Scott Thornbury's invitation for teachers to ditch their materials and just focus on the individuals in the classroom and their experiences - just talk?

Re-reading it - it definitely still has a lot of persuasive power even now, what with the cash registers ringing up and down the country as everyone buys the latest supplementary text or gimmick...

What do you think? (attached above)

[lifeinkorea]

It's fine for 3 minutes (if students are quiet and not saying much), then someone asks, "What is 'that'?" Or, they ask a specific word and they don't stop until you tell them you don't know the Korean for it. Then, they look at you as a worthless teacher who can't teach them what the Korean is for "aardvark" or something along similar lines.

[Chamchiman]

[ddeubel]

The 5Ms were originally meant to be 7! Go HERE for the PPT

I have followed and been energized by the notion of "Teaching Unplugged" but like a lot of stuff - it goes to the extreme whereas good teaching is multifaceted and about "doing what works" without dogma or dogme.

But Scott Thornbury is to be credited with actually talking about the things that matter "on the floor" , in the classroom . There is too much of ELT filled with fanciful words but which don't effect teacher practice. His ideas approach this.

I don't believe Scott Thornbury wants "no materials". What he really is talking about is "Personalization" of the material. What I call SCC - Student Created Content. What the students use to practice language is of their own apriori knowledge set and interests. I truly believe this is effective and if teachers can learn how to teach with only a blank piece of paper and having the students use it to create the lesson material/content - then they truly are achieving a mastery of teaching.

The goal should always be less, not more, in all things. Quantity effects quality.

Withnail - you might like my beta BEST ELT BLOGGERS site that I'm tinkering with. Just click on a blogger and get their readings. I'll be adding more to the list and printing of the contents will be operational shortly....

Cheers,

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[Juregen]

One doesn't need to ditch everything.

I use some source material, if done solely, would only take 15 minutes.

But by expunging on it in the classroom you can stretch it meaningfully to one hour of good communication.

So come with some good base material, and then see where the class takes it.

[SHANE02]

I agree Jurgen, that plus the level of the students of course.

[Fishead soup]

Unless you're really good and able to dazzle people with Orgami( paper folding) TPR. This is really poor advice. On the other hand sometimes things do break down and you should be able to improvise.

[Chamchiman]

[withnail]

Indeed, thanks Dave for that link, Scott has so many websites I don't think I'd have found this quickly.

Chamchiman - spot on. That was the motivation.

As for Dogme, most people I've talked to agree that the attached article has some great sentiments and pure motives, although a little extreme. What we can learn from it? The need for personalisation and the importance of shutting up and letting the students do the talking.

I can just imagine Scott writing this all those years ago, feverishly and flush with the excitement of a great idea - perhaps even thrilled with the peer plaudits sure to come his way - and he deserved them.

I'm sure later on though, he probably thought the initial idea was just a wee bit extreme!

[The Gipkik]

Probably a short answer to the OP's question is--most teachers, but not all. It reminds me of the story I heard a couple of years ago of a dedicated Indian teacher teaching in an impoverished part of India. His classes were large and his teaching resources next to none, but he inspired many students, girls too, who went on to higher education. This teacher, I'd speculate, was a born teacher. When it comes to multiple intelligences, he had the right amount of the right ones, interpersonal, linguistic, intrapersonal, logico-mathematical, musical, body-kinesthetic, etc. to get the job done. Plus, loads of imagination, creativity and sensitivity.

[withnail]

Cool...Great informative response...

[Fishead soup]

[The Gipkik]

[Privateer]

I think I have what Thornbury called OGS (Obsessive Grammar Syndrome).

Ironically, Scott Thornbury's book 'How to Teach Grammar' was one of the best books on the subject I ever read.