Transforming Language Teaching and Learning

This book examines the beliefs and attitudes of teacher educators, teachers and student-teachers about the impact of language teaching and learning. It draws on three research-based studies carried out by the author in collaboration with colleagues at the National University of Ireland, Galway, King’s College London and the Lynch School of Education, Boston College. The volume begins with a clear outline of various approaches to research-based practice and a scholarly consideration of language acquisition and learning theories, before embarking on a journey across three countries that reflects on partnerships and dialogue. The focus of each study is the ongoing interaction between participants and the data is drawn from semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, surveys and classroom observations, as well as referencing the work of student-teachers. As the studies unfold, «transformative language pedagogy» is seen to enhance the social-psychological model of autonomous language teaching and learning by offering it a critical and moral-philosophical underpinning. The book offers valuable insights into language teaching and learning and, importantly, into the intersection between teaching, learning and being in the world.

Patrick Farren is a lecturer in education at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He has experience in language teaching and teacher education in Ireland, France, Spain, Libya, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the US. He was previously the editor of Teanga, the journal of the Irish Research Association for Applied Linguistics, and his research interests include language teaching and learning, addressing English language learners’ needs, bilingualism, interculturalism, inquiry based teaching, critical pedagogy, the history of education, philosophy and Middle Eastern culture.