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Messaging: Beyond a Lexical Approach
Messaging: Beyond a Lexical Approach is a methodology book for language teachers that aims to stimulate reflection and new thinking. It argues that languages can be taught and learned more directly and efficiently by designing learning materials around the approach that structures the traditional holiday phrasebook, and allowing some forms of translation to play a role in the learning process.
The approach is clearly explained with examples of activities and materials given throughout the book.
The approach is clearly explained with examples of activities and materials given throughout the book.
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2013
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About the author
George Woolard
19 books9 followersGeorge Woolard is an experienced ELT teacher and trainer who has worked in Greece, Malaysia and the UK. He now teaches at Stevenson College, Edinburgh. He is the author of Key Words for Fluency, a series of collocation practice books published by Thomson ELT. His previous publications include Lessons with Laughter and Grammar with Laughter, also published by Thomson ELT.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 1, 2015
A very stimulating book, detailed and well justified. Agree or disagree, but Woolard will make you think and should inspire you to try at least some of his ideas.
March 26, 2014
An E-pistle from the Last Apostle of the Lexical Approach (Try Teaching That When Your Drunk)
Lexically ordained Michael Lewis acolyte George C. Woolard, who contributed to the grumpy old man of ELT’s last words on the subject “Teaching Collocation” before taking to the pulpit himself with the somewhat celebrated “Key Words for Fluency” series, rises Lazarus-like from the grave of the lexical approach with one last e-pistle courtesy of the congregation at The Round.
The prodigal son begins from the observation that when heading off on pilgrimages to unholy lands most of us would rather clutch a phrase book to our bosom than a grammar book, dictionary or coursebook, and from this apparent rejection of the ELT commandments builds to the long awaited (and in many cases long forgotten) classroom practice for implementing the lexical approach.
Like the missionaries of old he begins by his holy mission by fearless braving the heathen lands of language learning himself and undertakes a study of Spanish concentrating as any good Lewisian would on the learning of meaningful chunks to gain insight into how we ‘language’ and by extension how we should teach our learners to ‘language’.
Rattling the relics of his spiritual leader from the outset he repeats the catechism of the holy texts and condemns to perditions flames the apocrypha of ELT, including his own “Key Words for Fluency” series, which he confesses repeats the slot-and-filler sentence heresy, for failing to promote the actual language of the message over the possible language of the vast majority L2 learners.
He goes on to resanctify memorisation and translation as part of a rather dull and dower teaching methodology which he unjustly fears may be dubbed the Scottish approach. The Scottish approach itself is based on the idiosyncratically named textSbook which the teacher exploits in an actually workable lesson cycle for the lexical approach.
Although this brief sermon is unlikely to convert any to the Lewisian faith it is nonetheless an inspiring affirmation of belief those of us already in the choir that is well worth clutching to your bosom before you next set forth on your next crusade into the godforsaken ELT classroom and one can only pray it won’t be another eight years before this prodigal son again returns.
“There are no games, no matching exercises and probably little in the way of fun or enjoyment.” - George C. Woolard
Lexically ordained Michael Lewis acolyte George C. Woolard, who contributed to the grumpy old man of ELT’s last words on the subject “Teaching Collocation” before taking to the pulpit himself with the somewhat celebrated “Key Words for Fluency” series, rises Lazarus-like from the grave of the lexical approach with one last e-pistle courtesy of the congregation at The Round.
The prodigal son begins from the observation that when heading off on pilgrimages to unholy lands most of us would rather clutch a phrase book to our bosom than a grammar book, dictionary or coursebook, and from this apparent rejection of the ELT commandments builds to the long awaited (and in many cases long forgotten) classroom practice for implementing the lexical approach.
Like the missionaries of old he begins by his holy mission by fearless braving the heathen lands of language learning himself and undertakes a study of Spanish concentrating as any good Lewisian would on the learning of meaningful chunks to gain insight into how we ‘language’ and by extension how we should teach our learners to ‘language’.
Rattling the relics of his spiritual leader from the outset he repeats the catechism of the holy texts and condemns to perditions flames the apocrypha of ELT, including his own “Key Words for Fluency” series, which he confesses repeats the slot-and-filler sentence heresy, for failing to promote the actual language of the message over the possible language of the vast majority L2 learners.
He goes on to resanctify memorisation and translation as part of a rather dull and dower teaching methodology which he unjustly fears may be dubbed the Scottish approach. The Scottish approach itself is based on the idiosyncratically named textSbook which the teacher exploits in an actually workable lesson cycle for the lexical approach.
Although this brief sermon is unlikely to convert any to the Lewisian faith it is nonetheless an inspiring affirmation of belief those of us already in the choir that is well worth clutching to your bosom before you next set forth on your next crusade into the godforsaken ELT classroom and one can only pray it won’t be another eight years before this prodigal son again returns.
“There are no games, no matching exercises and probably little in the way of fun or enjoyment.” - George C. Woolard
March 14, 2024
Providing low prep strategies designed to make teaching more lexical, the book is effectively a treasure of ideas any lexical teacher could do with taking on board. The author, George Woolard, makes a case for a TextSbook, basically taking the Lexical Approach a step further.
The book consists of 5 chapters:
1) it essentially draws a distinction between actual language and possible language by offering a three-step message approach;
2) centering around the workings of human memory in the context of language learning, the chapter compares consciously produced language with spontaneously produced language and suggests strategies to turn the former into the latter;
3) it advocates the use of translation in language learning and explains why some immigrants struggle with second language learning in the target language community;
4) it specifies what kind of coursebook is needed to teach using the message approach and outlines a typical sequence in a lesson based on the message approach;
5) this one focuses on sources that both teachers and learners can turn to in addition to the TextSbook.
The following quotes are my personal highlights:
The message is the medium.
... the fluent speaker doesn’t know any more than the less fluent speaker.
... ‘if own-language use will occur anyway, it should be harnessed rather than rejected.
Even though we might be light years away from the TextSbook proposed by the author, most of the activities can be used in the context of any ELT coursebook. So if you're seeking to make your lessons more lexical, this book is your best bet.
The book consists of 5 chapters:
1) it essentially draws a distinction between actual language and possible language by offering a three-step message approach;
2) centering around the workings of human memory in the context of language learning, the chapter compares consciously produced language with spontaneously produced language and suggests strategies to turn the former into the latter;
3) it advocates the use of translation in language learning and explains why some immigrants struggle with second language learning in the target language community;
4) it specifies what kind of coursebook is needed to teach using the message approach and outlines a typical sequence in a lesson based on the message approach;
5) this one focuses on sources that both teachers and learners can turn to in addition to the TextSbook.
The following quotes are my personal highlights:
The message is the medium.
... the fluent speaker doesn’t know any more than the less fluent speaker.
... ‘if own-language use will occur anyway, it should be harnessed rather than rejected.
Even though we might be light years away from the TextSbook proposed by the author, most of the activities can be used in the context of any ELT coursebook. So if you're seeking to make your lessons more lexical, this book is your best bet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews