Methodological Eclecticism in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
"Eclectic", remarks Atkinson (1988, p. 42), "is one of the buzz words in TEFL at present, in part due to the realization that for the foreseeable future good language teaching is likely to continue to be based more on common sense, insights drawn from classroom experience, informed discussion among teachers, etc., than on any monolithic model of second language acquisition or all-embracing theory of learning . . . ". One problem with this position is that your "common sense" and your "insights" are apt to be different from mine. Another is that "discussion among teachers", though valuable, is often a futile exercise in the blind leading the blind. No one with some knowledge of pedagogy and psychology would advocate a "monolithic model" of anything in teaching today. However, unless one has some theoretical foundation to one's knowledge, one cannot construct a methodology of anything--including of foreign language teaching. The aim of this paper is to examine rudimentarily such foundation, and to propose an eclectic approach to teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Learning theories and TEFL
"It appears counterproductive to dissect language in the same way that biology students might dissect a frog" (Maurice 1987, p. 9). Learners do not expect curriculum designers and teachers to dissect language on the basis of pure linguistic science, but they do expect them to dissect language on the basis of applied linguistics and psycholinguistics to the extent that such analyses throw light on how language is applied and on who will do the applying. The foci, then, are on teaching methodology and learning capacity, rather than on the intricate works of linguisticians. Notes that teachers, moreover, need a functional dose of anthropology, sociology, and cybernetics if they are to grow as professionals. It does not hurt, of course, if they know more than one language and have been in close contact with other cultures.
Now "discussions on teaching methods tend to be plagued by overgeneralizations both with respect to the way they are classified and with respect to the way they are evaluated" (MacKenzie, Eraut, & Jones 1972, p. 124). When one compares pedagogical methods, some startling facts come to light. One, for example, is that methods vacillate between a behavioral approac...
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Throughout the span of the past few weeks I have traversed the globe, visiting several countries and regions, only to realize that although new methods develop, language as a way of expressing ones self has remained the most effective. Despite this fact, language still has its pitfalls. Neil Postman, in his essay “Defending Against the Indefensible,'; outlines seven concepts that can be used to aid a student in better understanding the language as a means of communication. He describes how modern teaching methods leave a student vulnerable to the “prejudices of their elders';, further stating that a good teacher must always be skeptical. He urges teachers of all subjects to break free from traditional teachings as well as “linguistical tyranny';
It is very crucial to enforce comprehensive sex education rather than an abstinence-only program to be taught beginning in middle school for kids ages 11-18. When sex education is disregarded and rejected, problems may occur. "Sexuality is part of who we are as human beings. If you demonize it when you 're young, it becomes much harder when you get older." (Shah) Kids and teens acquire information, if not provided with some, about sex from friends, the Internet and more but, the information they are learning may not be correct. When, if ever, should kids learn about sex?
There are many pros to having sex education taught in schools; for instance, students can be taught accurately how to be safe when being sexually active with their partner. It’s probable that a teenager wouldn’t ask their parents about proper practices to having safe sex, such as how to correctly put on a condom, hence having sex education taught in schools would benefit both the student and the parents. Not only do sex education courses teach students about how to correctly use a condom, but it also teaches them the effectiveness of condoms and how to protect themselves from receiving sexually transmitted infections. Being taught about sexually transmitted diseases and how harmful they are to our bodies could aid in reducing the number of teenagers having sex and/or at the minimum help reduce the number of teenagers having unprotected sex. In addition, “students can be taught the correct terms of the reproductive system of sexually transmitted diseases and contraception birth instead of ‘street slang’” (Sex Education in Schools Pros and Cons). During a sex education course, students would learn about the different ways to prevent unplanned pregnancies, and “myths surrounding sex can be dismissed” (for example, can not get pregnant the first time) (Sex Education in Schools Pros and Cons).
According to Why so Many people text and drive, Knowing the Dangers, “Forty-three percent of the texting drivers said they want to "stay connected" to friends, family and work. Nearly a third did it out of habit.” Houston drivers are truly addicted to their phones. “Greenfield, who studies the effects of digital technology on the brain, likes to call smartphones "the world 's smallest slot machines" because they affect the brain in similar ways that gambling or drugs can” (Why). I can even admit with I first became a licensed driver I would text and drive frequently. I realized that it was a problem when I arrived upon my destination and could not remember how I got there. Texting and driving is a serious thing that people neglect to take the dangers into consideration before doing it. Houston people are addicted to their phones, because in this digital age there is not any screen time restrictions. Some never stop with their screen time, due to the fact that there are so many jobs out there that require a person to use
Starting sex education at a younger age is a sensitive issue. Our society becomes more and more liberal about sexual issues of the younger generations, but sex education in middle schools or from their parents are still the same as it was in the past, giving superficial information to students. Most teachers or parents are not prepared to let their students informed about contraception, because most of them think that students are very naive and they are too young to have sex, which is not true. The fast flow of communication in modern society made the students to be very curious about sex to make them want to carry out, and also the social atmosphere is getting less rigid about their acting out, so the young people are not afraid to have sex. However, should sex education be taught in schools or should it be the parents’ responsibility to choose? Many middle schools teach sexual education to students, but teachers are limited on what they can teach, which means the schools does not give any specific information on the subject, so it is no wonder that the teenagers are not aware of their risk. Therefore, sex education should be taught in middle schools because children develop early in their stage of life, they do not have the knowledge on the subject, and it teaches them prevention from sexual diseases.
Sex education in schools is a highly debated subject today, and has always been one. The debate is between having an abstinence based sex education, where it the primary subject discussed is abstaining from having sexual relations until marriage, or having more comprehensive sex education programs. Indeed, there are many benefits to teaching comprehensive sex education classes that educate adolescents on contraception, sexuality, and how to further educate themselves on the subject of sex. That is to say, these programs realize that these students are going to want to have sex, and aim to teach them how to be careful in case they do. Having only abstinence based sex education in schools has a direct connection to increased numbers of sexually
Today 's youth is exposed to sex through several outlets, and not all give educational information to benefit their understanding of the topic. Teenagers need to be taught about the reality of sex and what it means to take part in it. They should not be intimidated into keeping quiet about their concerns on sex, but instead use their authority figures as leaverage to learn as much as they can about it. Schools should be a primary source of sex education because it is something teenagers will inevitably come across in their teenage years. It is necessary for them to know about the myths and facts regarding sex and reproduction, the emotions that teenagers might experience and the dangers and consequences of having sex. Sex education is not taken
Swarbrick, A. (2013) Aspects of Teaching Secondary Modern Foreign Languages: Perspectives on Practice. London: Routledge Falmer.
Sex education will prevent many things for a child’s life, they will be able to be healthy, finish their education and enjoy a social life. Although some parents might find it inappropriate to speak to their children about sex, it is best to inform them before they suffer through problems. A child should be informed by anyone about sex education before they are being sexually active and might end up being pregnant or have some disease being that they were not informed about sex education. Parents should be grateful that the public schools their kids attend inform them about sex, for the reason sex education can inform them as well as preventing them from several
In recent years, whether teenage children and younger are having sex has become a huge issue, a very serious issue but also taboo to talk about. This issue is easily looked at as out of control, because it hurts the vision of the younger generation. To prevent the issue as a problem, sex education is strongly needed in the education system. Sex education would inform the teenage and younger children everything they need to know about sex. Sex education would also include other sensitive issues like sexual health, sexual reproduction, sexuality and others that parents may often feel uncomfortable talking about with their children. Therefore, with sex education in schools it becomes the responsibility of schools to address this issue, and inform
Teaching sex education in schools can create problems. Sometimes teaching sex education at all in schools are banned rise. These problems have solutions, however, there are ways to fix them, so teaching sex education to students is done the right way and is accepted by the parents. Sex education is not a topic that some parents want teachers talking to their teens about. Without it being taught at school, some students will not get proper education because students will not get the proper education as some parents will choose not to talk about it with their teens. I believe there is a solution for each problem that can arise with sex education being taught in schools.
Syrja, R. C (2011). How to reach and teach English language learners: Practical strategies to ensure success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
If we are to make an impact on children and young people before they become sexually active, comprehensive sexuality education must become part of the formal school curriculum. It is needless to say that ignorance leads us to wrong assumptions that often result to mistakes and misjudgments. When kids are adequately informed about sex, misinformation is reduced. As sex education programs carried out effectively it will serve as powerful tools because they are empowered with correct knowledge in helping prevent them being infected by the HIV virus and other illnesses resulting from unsafe, inappropriate sexual decisions.
The purpose of sex education is to let them know the consequences and also to understand that sex is not a game. The truth is that if the young people want to have sex, it is ultimately their choice. But it’s the responsibility of parents to help prevent them from contracting any diseases or an unwanted pregnancy. There is a debate on the internet called ´´ Should parents teach their children about sex at an early age? 85% voted yes and 15% voted no. The majority of parents agree and this debate shows us why 85% voted and commented, I think that parents should teach their children about sex at an early age. Nowadays, there are
In this course I experienced an important change in my beliefs about teaching; I came to understand that there are many different theories and methods that can be tailored to suit the teacher and the needs of the student. The readings, especially those from Lyons, G., Ford, M., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2011), Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2007), and Whitton, D., Barker, K., Nosworthy, M., Sinclair, C., Nanlohy, P. (2010), have helped me to understand this in particular. In composing my essay about teaching methods and other themes, my learning was solidified, my knowledge deepened by my research and my writing skills honed.