To What Extent is it appropriate or indeed possible to adopt a Dissertation

To What Extent is it appropriate or indeed possible to adopt a communicative language eaching approach in your current teaching - Dissertation Example to adopt a Communicative Language Teaching approach 1. Introduction The Japanese are well known for their poor achievement in English language education, especially in terms of oral proficiency. Even after six years of learning English as a compulsory subject at secondary school, few Japanese people can successfully communicate in English. However, English has now become an essential language for global communication. With this need in mind, the subject ‘Oral Communication’ began to be offered in 2003 in Japanese schools in combination with an implementation of the ‘New Course of Study’. This innovative new curriculum emphasises the application of the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) methodology in the classroom in Japan in order to improve the communicative abilities of Japanese learners of English. However, most Japanese teachers of English (JTE) claim that they face some difficulties in implementing the CLT methodology into their current teaching env ironment. They attribute the difficulties mainly to external factors, such as large-class sizes, an over emphasis on college entrance examinations, and Japanese students’ passive attitude towards CLT. Studies (e.g. Li, 2001; Leng, 1997; Ellis 1996) show the difficulty of implementing CLT in non-Western countries, as in China, Korea, and Vietnam from the perspective of ‘cultural appropriateness’ in their teaching context. In Japan also, CLT is difficult to apply in the real classroom in the context of teaching EFL (English as a Foreign Language). Stern (1992) points out that one of the most difficult of problems in making classroom teaching communicative based is the absence of native speakers. However, by utilising Assistant Language Teachers (ALT) allocated in every Prefecture in Japan together with the JET Program (the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program), a successful CLT class can be established in a Japanese high school teaching environment, especially in an ‘Oral Communication’ English class through team-teaching conducted by JTE and ALT. This study will discuss the current teaching environment in Japanese high schools and will try to identify possible ways by which a CLT approach can be successfully adopted. The sociocultural, educational, and student and teacher related factors will be considered for suggesting a ‘culturally appropriate’ CLT approach appropriate for the Japanese secondary education environment. 2. CLT: Definition and its theoretical background The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) methodology regards language as a means of communication and aims to develop ‘communicative competence’ in the language learners (Hymes 1971, 1972; Canale & Swain, 1980). The theory of language as a tool for communication is therefore central to the concept of CLT and the goal is also clear. As stated by Larsen-Freeman (1986), all the tasks that are undertaken during CLT have a ‘communicativ e intent’. The purpose is to enhance authentic and meaningful communication by providing comprehensive input and by using authentic language learning material (Kern & Warschauer,

Power & Privilege - Fashioning a plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Power & Privilege - Fashioning a plan - Essay Example The paper "Power & Privilege - Fashioning a plan" is a personal expression of my own belief system along with a strategy for affecting change. I found the articles by these two writers, as well as those of Johnson, to be interesting; but I find myself somewhat critical of their bias. I agree with Peters that â€Å"[s]ystems and institutions that regulate class location are much more powerful than individuals† (Peters 1). There are certainly individuals who work hard and try to improve their lives and situations and are prevented from achieving complete success due to the resistance of the powerful; and social change efforts should be made to address those inequities. I can’t accept, however, that â€Å"everyone deserves what you have; you just happen to have it† or her idea that â€Å"empowered people enrich themselves by leaving exploitative, dehumanizing work to others†. This position implies too much intentionality to what often is random placement with in the socio-economic spectrum or the result of individual choice. As James and Robinson point out, â€Å"there are necessarily differences between people. We all perceive these differences and make judgments about others based on them...† (xv), and this is exactly what Peters does; she makes judgments about those employed in menial jobs from her perspective of upper-middle class privilege. She would never be happy bagging groceries; ergo, no one else can be either. That’s just a little too simplistic. As for Alperovitz, putting his political partisanship aside.... As Schultz notes, "social reformers and activists would be better served by reconsidering how much hope was placed upon working through the courts versus investing more time to win critical victories thorough the political process" (9). The legal system certainly has its place in addressing the suppression of classes of individuals, but the political system is a better tool for social policy. It also has the benefit of being the voice of the people, rather than that of an activist judiciary or single governmental branch. What I have learned. From this course, I have come to a fresh understanding of power and privilege generally, the impact of the misuse of those concepts on the radically disenfranchised, as well as my own place within the dynamic. I don't believe that the positions taken by authors on either extreme are realistic. An individual's plight is not solely the result of his or her own choices, but neither is it necessarily the intentional infliction of harm by a bad system. Certainly, many individuals must shoulder the burden of their own choices and it is far too easy to blame the system for their condition. On the other hand, there really are those people who are neither powerful nor privileged as a result of systemic oppression or neglect. As I look at my own standing in society and the privileges I enjoy, I am aware of those who have more and those who have less. I think that everyone is both privileged and disenfranchised on some level. The distinction for me lies within the individua l circumstances under consideration. The middle-class college student has more inherited privilege than the impoverished gang member, naturally. I am