The Foundations of Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Book excerpt: An introductory textbook that assumes no prior knowledge of linguistics or second language acquisition, this book presents a comprehensive overview of the theoretical foundations, methods and practices of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) for pre-service teachers. Lennon covers the theoretical bases for TEFL and addresses second language-acquisition research, past and present EFL teaching methodology, as well as psychological and social approaches to individual language-learner variation. Further chapters provide extensive yet accessible coverage on essential foundational topics, including chapters on pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, literature and testing. Offering a sociocultural approach in which the teacher is seen as a facilitator and supporter of students’ self-directed learning, this text provides the prospective teacher with the knowledge and skills to be an effective educator in the EFL classroom. The targeted EFL focus makes this book ideal for pre-service teachers and for teacher training programmes around the world. Each chapter includes a Food for Thought section with questions for reflection and a Further Reading list.