Learning to Teach Foreign Languages in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience

Praise for previous editions:- 'It is an excellent reference resource presenting clear, straightforward, factual information on all current issues facing MFL student teachers ... Also an excellent reference guide during the first years of teaching.' '¬ ; Mentoring and Tutoring 'The content and scope are very impressive ... The authors have managed to condense a wealth of theory, research, practical advice, case studies and tasks into one volume ... Packed with useful ideas, addresses including WWW addresses and references ... I would regard this book as indispensable for both HEI tutors and mentors, and an important book to recommend to all MFL students.' '¬ ; Langauge Learning Journal Learning to Teach Modern Languages in the Secondary Schoolhas established itself as the leading textbook for student teachers of modern foreign languages in the UK and internationally. The practical focus of the book is underpinned by a theoretical perspective and backed up by the latest research, encouraging reader to develop a personal approach to modern foreign language teaching. An account is also taken of relevant statutory frameworks. Now in its fourth edition, this book has been thoroughly updated to take account of recent policy and curriculum changes. With the recent increased emphasis on teachers as researchers and the alignment of many PGCE courses with Masters level criteria, reference to important concepts and theoretical positions have been strengthened. Strong reference to their relevance in the context of professional practice and a new chapter discussing the findings of research on Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning has been added. Other chapters cover a wide range of relevant topics, including: Teaching methods and learning strategies Teaching in the target language and developing cultural awareness Teaching of grammar Differentiation and assessment The use of ICT in modern foreign language teaching. Each chapter features: an introduction offering a brief contextualisation of the topic; objectives identifying what the reader should know, understand and/or be able to do having read the chapter and carried out the tasks in it; discussion of the most important issues with reference to their application in the classroom; tasks inviting the reader to relate content to work in school; a list of annotated further readings. The book has been designed to allow the reader to 'pick and choose' specific topics and chapters don't need to be read sequentially. Examples are given in French, German and Spanish but most are transferable to other languages. It will prove an invaluable resource to MFL student teachers and their mentors and tutors.