Speaker
Description
Textbooks are the mainstay of EFL classrooms in Vietnam and they provide teachers with valuable resources and guidance. But too often they lead to uninspired teaching and disengaged learners. Even the most dedicated teachers can find themselves caught in the impossible situation of having to push through the textbook with learners who are not interested or proficient enough to cope with the demands of textbook materials. Teaching begins to feel like pushing water uphill. So, what to do? In this workshop, we will begin by exploring why textbooks are an inherently limiting instructional tool. But being mindful that textbooks are inescapable (for now at least), we will then explore practical steps teacher can take to bring textbook lessons to life and maximize learner engagement. Here, we will apply instructional design principles from TBLT to time-efficiently taskifying textbook lessons. Throughout the workshop, I’ll share practical examples from real classrooms.
Biography
Jonathan Newton is Associate Professor and Engagement Director at the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (LALS), Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He has worked extensively in international and transnational education with a focus on managing international partnerships with institutions in SE Asia. As a language teacher educator, he is passionate about task-based language teaching (TBLT) and teaching for intercultural capabilities. He has published six books and over 80 articles and book chapters.
