In our times, international travel and extended living arrangements abroad have become almost a normal occurrence in the lives of many people, particularly the young and college educated. Many of these people, often with little training, find themselves with the opportunity to teach the English language to foreign students. After a short stint teaching EFL students in a foreign culture, once-confident English -language teachers often realize that some teacher training would have been useful.
This readable and creative new book by Jerry Gebhard is a textbook for the untrained ESL/EFL teacher. It is designed for use by self-motivated teachers who seek to maximize their potential as teachers and, in so doing, enhance the learning of their students. This guide stresses the multifaceted nature of teaching the English language to nonnative speakers and is based on the real experiences of teachers. It provides basic information that ESL teachers should know before they start teaching, as well as ideas on how language instructors can guide students in the skills of listening, conversation, reading, and writing.
Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language is unique in that it emphasizes self-development as central to being an ESL/EFL teacher. A variety of self-development tasks are included. Each chapter is guided by a set of questions directly relevant to teaching, including advice on teaching problems. An appendix provides addresses, phone numbers and information on professional second/foreign language-teaching organizations, as well as a list of professional journals and publishing houses.
The author's practical and self-motivating philosophy is inviting to a wide audience: EFL teachers, teachers of teachers, and those who have found themselves in a position for which their training is incomplete. It is an excellent work for everyday use and will serve as a fine reference tool.
