Provoking Thought: Memory and Thinking in ELT [Paperback]

Hall Houston (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1439251991 | ISBN-13: 978-1439251997 | Publication Date: November 23, 2009

Provoking Thought is a collection of ready-to-use, student-centered activities designed for the ESL/EFL classroom. This book emphasizes using students' thought processes as a resource for language learning. Each chapter covers a different theme: thinking, memory, creativity, critical thinking and expressing thought in writing. Provoking Thought includes an abundant variety of activities incorporating elements of pair work, group work, discussion, role play, brainstorming, kinesthetic learning, and project work. It's ideal for teachers who want to add some variety to their lessons.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A brilliant collection of out-of-the-box and totally engaging humanistic teaching gems." -- Sab Will, Hotchpotchenglish.com

"Provoking Thought is a great resource for not just language teachers but most probably other kinds of teachers as well who need to engage their students and start a far more dynamic classroom atmosphere." -- Alberto Gaspar, The APPI Journal

"Stimulating and interesting... you should get hold of the excellent Provoking Thought. Highly recommended." --Alistair Dickinson, Developing Teachers

"I would encourage anyone with upper level students, or simply an interest in the workings of the mind and the desire to bring the reflection of such into a classroom, to explore what this book has to offer. Houston has put together a valuable resource and has, in fact, provoked my own thoughts on classroom practices." -- Kay Brushett, IH Journal

"This is a gem of a book. Provoking Thought is well laid out, easy to use and written without too much EFL jargon. This is a good little resource to have on your reference shelf." -- Sandee Thompson, Modern English Teacher

About the Author

Hall Houston currently teaches undergraduate students at Kainan University in Luzhu, Taiwan. His first book, The Creative Classroom, was published in 2007. His practical articles on language teaching have been published in periodicals such as English Teaching Professional, Modern English Teacher, IATEFL Voices and It's for Teachers. He has a Master's Degree in Foreign Language Education from The University of Texas at Austin.

Product Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (November 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439251991
• ISBN-13: 978-1439251997
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #784,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hall Houston teaches undergraduate students at Kainan University, a private university in Taoyuan County, Taiwan. His practical articles on language teaching have been published in periodicals and websites such as It's for Teachers, One Stop English, Humanising Language Teaching, Developing Teachers, English Teaching Professional, Modern English Teacher, ESL Magazine, The Internet TESL Journal, and Language Magazine. His first book, The Creative Classroom, was published in 2007 by Lynx Publishing. His professional interests include task-based teaching and learning, discourse analysis, group dynamics, creativity and critical thinking.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provoking Thought - Provoking Better Teaching!, July 12, 2010

By 

Michael Rost - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Provoking Thought: Memory and Thinking in ELT (Paperback)

I am very happy to have run across this book! After many years of teaching languages and researching language acquisition, I've finally found a single volume that integrates key principles of language development and practical classroom activities. Great work! The book is arranged into five sections - thinking, memory, creativity, critical thinking, organizing - each with a crisp review of some of the relevant research in the area (appropriately acknowledging sources and suggesting extra reading) and a section of author-tested activities (about 20 distinct activities per section!), all easily adaptable to different ages, backgrounds, teaching contexts. Although I have encountered much of the research Hall sites and have used or seen many of these activities he presents, what impresses me is how clear and intuitive his approach is. Language acquisition requires lots spoken input, as well as "negotiation of meaning" (actively working out what other people are thinking and saying), "pushed output" (being compelled to express ideas and forms that you may not initially be comfortable expressing), "relearning" (revisiting partially learned content and making new connections), and "noticing the gap" (figuring out what you need to know before you can complete your idea or understand what someone else means). Provoking Thought provides concrete resources for doing ALL these things - and having a great time teaching actively. I'm sure students of all ages and backgrounds will benefit from their teachers using Hall Houston's book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical, Inspiring, and Original, April 16, 2010

By 

Eric H. Roth "ESL specialist" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Provoking Thought: Memory and Thinking in ELT (Paperback)

Provoking Thought: Memory and Thinking in ELT may become an ESL and EFL classic. Remember the title.

Dividened into five major sections (Thinking, Memory, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Organizing Ideas on Paper), this systematic book demonstrates how to engage students and create a far more creative, dynamic English classroom. Filled with practical lesson plans and revealing interviews, this powerful teacher's resource inspired revisions to my course curriculum to include new exercises, and modify old classics.

Hall Houston, a prolific ESL/EFL writer and English teacher in Taiwan, has assembled an impressive amount of material in this inspiring book. Part journalism, part teacher resource, and part philosophy, this original and reflective ELT textbook will "provoke thought" on how we teach English for both experienced and novice instructors.

One minor criticism: the book would have benefited from including several reproducible lessons that the author so vividly describes, saving time and encouraging more classroom applications of these creative exercises that cajole students into thinking in English.
Bottomline: This is my favorite ELT book of 2009 - by far!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An sightul, practical guide, February 7, 2010

By 

David Cedric Bennette "David Bennette - Lectu... (Turkey) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Provoking Thought: Memory and Thinking in ELT (Paperback)

Houston`s work is a valueble guide for teachers wishing to deepen their perspectives on cognitive processes in the classroom. Full of practical knowledge based on a life time`s experience in teaching. A must -read for any aspirant teacher embarking on an overseas career.