The Learner-Centred Curriculum: A Study in Second Language Teaching

Cambridge Applied Linguistics

by David Nunan

Traditionally, the curriculum has been regarded as a statement of what should be done in a course of study. The Learner-Centred Curriculum takes as its starting point what is done by language teachers in their classes. Nunan develops a concept of the negotiated model in which the curriculum is a collaboration between teachers and students. The author looks at the curriculum from a teacher's perspective and reports on what instructors focus on in planning, implementing, and evaluating language courses. He synthesizes theoretical models and recent empirical studies, and considers the vital part by curriculum design in coordinating the many aspects of language teaching.

212 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 1988

About the author

David Nunan is an Australian linguist who has focused on the teaching of English. His ELT textbook series "Go For It!" is the largest selling textbook series in the world with sales exceeding 1 billion copies.

Nunan's academic and student textbooks are published by Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and the EFL publishing division of Cengage Learning. Nunan is Academic President of Anaheim University based in Anaheim, California. Nunan serves in a concurrent role as Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Professor of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Anaheim University where he has worked since 1996.

In 2000, Nunan served as President of TESOL Inc., the world's largest language teaching association, and was the first person to serve as President from outside North America. Previously Nunan has served as Chair and Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Hong Kong and has been involved in the teaching of graduate programs for such institutions as Columbia University, the University of Hawaii, Monterey Institute for International Studies, and others.

Nunan began his career in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, where he learned Thai. Nunan has received numerous awards throughout his career for his contributions to the field of English Language Teaching.

Awards:

In 2002 Nunan received a congressional citation from the United States House of Representatives for his services to English language education through his pioneering work in online education through Anaheim University. In 2003 he was ranked the 7th most influential Australian in Asia by Business Review Weekly, and in 2005 he was named one of the top "50 Australians who Matter". In November 2006 Nunan was awarded the Convocation medal for outstanding achievement and contribution internationally to the profession of Teaching English as a second language, from Flinders University, where he earned his Ph.D. in Education and Linguistics. In December 2006 Nunan was invited by the Australian Prime Minister to attend the Advance Leading 100 Global Australians Summit in Sydney, Australia. Nunan is a distinguished advisor to the [Asian EFL Journal].

Reviews

[Thomas Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of this is still relevant to language teachers today, but a lot has probably changed with new technology.