Michel Thomas Method: The Learning Revolution [Hardcover]

Jonathan Solity (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 2008

The publication of the Michel Thomas ground-breaking, all-audio language learning materials has been a publishing phenomenon. Sales of over one million units in just eight years and the universal acclaim his method has excited would indicate that there is a large body of people who want to know more about how and why his method works where so many others have failed. The book will give a brief history of Michel's fascinating life and summarise how he became interested in teaching foreign languages, before going on to look at the experience of learning a foreign language in general and Michel's method of teaching in particular. It examines the barriers to language learning in both the UK and the US, Michel's focus on the role and quality of the teacher rather than the learner, and Michel's core belief that with the right teaching anyone can learn another language quickly and easily. The reader will be introduced to new trends in psychology and their relationship to the way Michel teaches foreign languages as well as examining conventional wisdoms. There follows a detailed analysis of Michel's programmes for foreign language teaching and the implications for schools, colleges and universities if they wish to adopt his methodology and at the same time meet the requirements of the public examinations both in the UK and the US.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr Jonathan Solity is a former associate professor in educational psychology. He is now an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London and Director of KRM, a psychological and educational research consultancy. He is a leading figure in instructional psychology, having published widely in the field and led the UK's most detailed and extensive school-based research programmes into how best to teach reading, writing, spelling and maths.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Hodder Arnold (May 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340928336
• ISBN-13: 978-0340928332
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #973,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction to instructor centered learning, more than to Michel Thomas, September 23, 2011

By 

G. BARTO (Los Gatos, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Michel Thomas Method: The Learning Revolution (Hardcover)

There's a lot of useful information in here about teaching methodology and about Michel Thomas. Unfortunately, the book overall is hodgepodge rather than synthesis at times. You get the sense that Sollity really wanted to write a book about instructor-centered learning, but knew that it would sell better if piggybacked on the success of an instructor who used something like it albeit that he had come to on his own.

The big insight that Thomas and instructor centered learning share is that the purpose of testing isn't to document whether students are learning. It's to be sure they are learning and to correct one's teaching if they aren't. This is the heart of the success of the original Michel Thomas tapes - since he was teaching actual students he couldn't cram in more than you could actually learn by listening to them. The book covers this well, as well as the secondary factor of breaking down learning into small building blocks that can be easily mastered and readily tested.

However, it feels as if the author doesn't quite bring together the Micel Thomas Method and instructor centered learning. If you want to learn about either, or both, there is useful information in here. But it is up to the reader to sort it out.