How to Teach a Foreign Language

Jespersen, Otto, 1860-1943Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 316K words
Chapters: 32

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.How to Teach a Foreign Language by Otto JespersenAuthor: Jespersen, Otto, 1860-1943,Language: English, Class: PB: Language and Literatures: General works, Release Date: Jun 20, 2017

Editor's review

Otto Jespersen was an influential linguist of the early twentieth century, and How to Teach a Foreign Language is a methodological work in which he combines linguistic research with teaching practice. The book discusses the aims, methods, and sequencing of foreign language teaching, arguing for natural, lively oral training first and against turning language teaching into rote memorization of grammar rules; it has been an inspiration for the later development of communicative language teaching. As a public-domain ebook from Project Gutenberg, it is freely available and well suited as supplementary reading for courses on the history of foreign language teaching and on teaching methodology. It should be read not as a ready-to-use lesson-plan manual but rather with a critical eye, re-examining its claims in light of today's classrooms. For readers concerned with the principles of language teaching and curious about the origins of modern foreign language teaching ideas, this book offers a clear historical reference point.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Foreign language teachers and teacher trainees who want to understand the history and theoretical roots of teaching methodology
Students of linguistics or applied linguistics who need to read classic works on teaching
General readers interested in the history of language education who are willing to read the original English text
Teacher trainers and curriculum designers who need theoretical reference points and discussion material

Not a good fit for

Frontline novice teachers looking for ready-made classroom activities and lesson plans
Readers with limited English reading ability who want only a quick grasp of teaching techniques
Academic readers seeking a review of empirical research in contemporary second language acquisition

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and preface first to grasp the author's overall position on teaching aims, then choose chapters for close reading.
After each chapter, summarize its core argument in one sentence and annotate it against your own teaching experience.
Read it alongside contemporary textbooks on foreign language teaching methodology, noting which claims have been absorbed and which are outdated.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no teaching experience at all?

It can be read, but the benefit will be limited. The book discusses teaching principles and methodological orientations, and lacks concrete classroom operational details. Readers without teaching experience may easily remain at an abstract level; it is advisable to gain some teaching or tutoring experience first and then return to the book, which will make it easier to understand why the author emphasizes oral training and natural acquisition.

Are the teaching ideas in this book still applicable today?

Some ideas still have reference value, such as valuing oral language and opposing purely grammar-translation-style teaching. But the book was written long ago, lacks the support of empirical research in modern second language acquisition, and does not address multimedia or online teaching. It is best treated as a historical document and a starting point for reflection, not as a guide to be copied directly.

What language level is needed to read this book?

The original is in English and is quite discursive, so a level sufficient for reading academic English smoothly is recommended. If reading is difficult, first learn about Jespersen's linguistic background and the basic outline of the history of foreign language teaching, then read chapter by chapter, consulting Chinese textbooks on teaching methodology for comparison where necessary.

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About the author

Jespersen, Otto, 1860-1943 Author

Otto Jespersen (1860–1943) was a prominent Danish linguist whose writings have had a lasting influence on the history of modern linguistics. Two of his works are held in this collection. The first, Language: Its Nature, Development and Origin, offers a systematic discussion of the nature of language, its processes of change, and its historical origins, combining theoretical depth with readability. The second, How to Teach a Foreign Language, addresses classroom practice, discussing the principles and methods of foreign-language teaching in a practical spirit. Together they show that his research was concerned both with language itself and with the real problems of language education. Public information is limited, so no biographical details are given here; judged by the works available, his writing is clear and well organized, and he explains complex linguistic phenomena in an accessible way, exerting a continuing influence on later linguistic research and foreign-language teaching.