The Art and Science of Language Teaching

The Art and Science of Language Teaching - Lara Bryfonski, Alison Mackey

This user-friendly book is designed for language teachers of all levels and languages who seek to inform their classroom practices with current research findings on second language acquisition. Ideal for courses on second language learning and teaching, teacher reading groups, and professional development workshops, each chapter begins with a story of a real teaching scenario and a concise summary of what cutting-edge language teaching research says (and what it does not say) about the topic. Throughout the twenty-one chapters, the authors connect language research to the classroom, challenge misunderstandings around language pedagogy, and provide solutions. Each chapter concludes with classroom activities, and instructional strategies that can be used immediately in professional development workshops or in the classroom. Additional resources are available online to supplement the activities found in the book. Applicable across all languages and levels, this book is suitable for teachers of diverse backgrounds teaching in diverse contexts.

The Art and Science of Language Teaching - About the Author

Lara Bryfonski is an applied linguist and second language acquisition researcher. Her research interests include: second language learning and pedagogy, task-based language teaching, interaction and corrective feedback, language teacher training, individual differences in second language learning, language learning in study abroad, second language research methods and meta-analysis.

She is an assistant professor in the Department of Linguistics at Georgetown University where she teach courses on these topics and advise graduate and undergraduate linguistics students.

The Art and Science of Language Teaching - Reviews

'Irony aside, language researchers and teachers have - for decades - lacked a shared language. Bryfonski and Mackey provide these yin-yanged audiences with a Rosetta Stone of sorts, a cipher that unlocks the door connecting the worlds of L2 research and practice. This text allows the authors' world-renowned expertise to shine while speaking with the hearts of trusted mentors.' Luke Plonsky, Northern Arizona University

'Whether you're a new language teacher just starting out or a veteran language teacher with many years of experience, you must read this book. With charming graphics throughout, it makes solid connections between the latest research and practice, with concrete examples for the language learning classroom, and even includes links to sample lesson plans, videos, and other helpful materials.' Heather Sweetser, The University of New Mexico, 2022 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year