What's 'the method' or 'the approach' that the future will demand in ELT?

The future of English teaching is on teachers

The History of language teaching shows that the interest in finding the ‘formula’ for successful learners of a second and foreign language, and the sake for ‘naming’ such ‘discovery’; has been the tendency since the last fifty years of the previous century. The need for learning a second or foreign language have ranged from bellicose reasons, travelling affairs, to business purposes. Therefore, the approaches and methods have attempted to fulfil such or such ‘identified’ need which theorists and researchers publish, give workshops about and knowledgeable language teachers, especially English teachers are aware of. Nonetheless, that ‘formula’ has not yet been discovered.

English is the first most widely Foreign Language learnt and its learning process does not mainly take place in an English speaking country, plus the teachers are non-native but still the learning occurs. I strongly believe that the existence of ‘the’ approach or ‘the’ method to Language Learning does not and will not appear. No matter how many best sellers on ELT have and will come out. It is the Language teachers who in the classroom create and adapt a great variety of techniques, which at the same time are underpinned by their experience, knowledge of students’ real needs and context; and educational theories of teaching and learning.  Nunan (1995) “From a methodological perspective theories, ideas and research are only as good as teachers make them. Unexpected things happen in the classroom.”

Therefore, Language Teacher Education becomes the cornerstone to the practices and future of language teaching. Prabhu (1990) states that it is important for teachers to have their own sense of plausibility and their own understanding of why they do what they do. A well- educated and informed professional evidences successful practices in their every day practice. Were these pedagogic practices designed and applied by a group of teachers whose local context, objectives and needs place them in a privileged status; action research could be carried out in a greater number.

Thus far, the question now is what should the Language Teacher be like?

To start with, the future professional should have reached language proficiency level (Horn, 2011). Only if do teachers of a language know the language, they can teach it. Next, the language teacher should have developed academic and research skills which will allow him/her to put their practice into theory and not on the other way round, as it happens in the construction of most approaches. Third, the language teacher should have the pedagogical knowledge to make learning happen in whatever context he/she faces. Forth, the language teacher should possess knowledge and analytical skills on global issues. Globalisation requires urgent awareness of the problems the world faces and so the interaction of different subject areas in language teaching should also take place. This globalised world has also implemented high-tech devices which students can access more widely, as well as internet connection in the real or virtual ‘classroom’ have started to be used. These tools appear in syllabus and course designs in different education levels. That is why the fifth characteristic of the language teacher is a good user of ICT.

To sum up, whether books will be published on new approaches or methods or not, the future of language teaching success does not depend on them but on the language teacher. Language teachers have the challenge to know what he is teaching, how it can be learnt, why certain techniques and tools should be used in their context, how to communicate his/her pedagogical experiences; and how to work with other areas of knowledge to help their local context within a changing globalised world. English teacher Education needs to be revised.

REFERENCES

Horn, Bradley. The future is now: Preparing a New Generation of CBI Teachers. Article published in English Teaching Forum. Vol. 49 Nº3, 2011.

Nunan, David. (1995). Language Teaching Methodology. A textbook for teachers. Phoenix ELT. Hertfordshire.

Larsen-Freeman, Diane. From Unity to Diversity ... to Diversity within Unity. Article published in English Teaching Forum. Vol. 50 Nº2, 2012.