Asian English Language Classrooms: Where Theory and Practice Meet

The teaching of English in the Asian context is always challenging and dynamic because both teachers and learners have diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Equally important, where English is not widely used outside the classroom, English language classrooms are an authentic site of learner engagement. For these reasons, for all those concerned with contemporary English language teaching (ELT) in Asia, Asian English Language Classrooms: Where Theory and Practice Meet, provides an account of theoretical orientations and practices in the teaching of English to multilingual speakers whose primary language is not English. While covering the fundamental ELT areas (e.g., the teaching of language skills, educational literature, the use of technology in ELT, the role of pragmatics in ELT, social psychology of the language classroom, and language classroom management) with which every language teacher and teacher trainer must be concerned, this volume showcases how particular orientations shape ELT practices. We believe that practicing English teachers must have a heightened awareness of the theory behind their practice. At the same time, the theoretical stance must be firmly anchored in actual classrooms. Containing newly commissioned chapters written by well-regarded and emerging scholars, this book will appeal not only to beginning teachers or teachers in training but also to established teachers around Asia where English is used as a lingua franca. If you are a student teacher of English or an English teacher who would like to see what other progressive teachers like you are doing across Asia, this is the book you have been looking for.

Handoyo Puji Widodo, PhD is an Associate Professor at the English Language Center, Shantou University. He has published internationally in refereed journals and volumes.

Alistair Wood, PhD is a Senior Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. He has spent more than twenty years teaching ESP and Applied Linguistics in Asia, and published in such journals as Applied Linguistics and ESP Journal.

Deepti Gupta, PhD is a Professor at Panjab University, India. Her PhD was in ELT. With a teaching experience of over 30 years, she has authored three books and articles in numerous national and international journals (e.g., IATEFL Issues, Asian EFL Journal, Profile, ICFAI, Diviner, and ELT Journal).