learning about languageGeneral Geoffrey Leech and Mick Short, Lancaster UniversityAn Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching presents an engaging, student-friendly guide to the fields of foreign language learning and teaching. Aimed at students beginning their study of these fields, the book provides essential background information and deals with language learning and teaching in a clear and comprehensible way. Attention is also given to practical matters related to classroom teaching.The book covers both theoretical and practical aspects of the field and provides suggestions throughout for discussion and workshop activities. Although most of the examples used deal with English as a foreign language, the book offers a suitable introduction for teachers of any foreign language.Keith Johnson is Professor of Linguistics and Language Education at Lancaster University. His previous publications Encyclopedic Dictionary of Applied A Handbook for Language Teaching (1998), Language Teaching and Skill Learning (1996) and Communication in the Classroom (1981).
I am generally fond of linguistic related books and this one is no exception. Even though the class it was assigned to me for has been rather dull, I really enjoyed studying this book. I loved the author's writing style; he explained notions and terms simply and thoroughly without being boring. The employment of many examples (some also taken from the author's personal experiences) really helped in the better understanding of the points he was trying to make. It was one of the rare occasions when studying for an exam wasn't so painfully boring.
My only complaint is just in relation to the course I took, and that is that this book didn't contain all the material discussed in class or contained some extra information (that I would certainly like to read after the exam is passed). This doesn't prevent it, though, from being a highly pleasant and informative book for anyone interested in the subject.