Customer Reviews

Society and the Language Classroom (Cambridge Language Teaching Library)

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Society and the Language Classroom is a collection of case histories from language teachers and researchers of the language learning processes in secondary and tertiary institutions from around the world, but with a major focus on Asia and Africa. The overwhelming theme of nearly all of these studies is that a conflict exists, either between the balancing of pedagogical and social functions within the classroom, or in the interpretation of what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior from the differing points of view of the teacher, the learners or the onlooker. Most of these essays are qualitative and ethnographic, and in nearly of them, I agreed with the interpretation and conclusion of the essayist, with the possible exception of that of the editor's. Apparently, in Indonesia, it's perfectly acceptable to come and go to the lecture room as one pleases, to bring one's mother or boyfriend, to eat, to smoke, to talk and to laugh, because this is what goes on at shadow puppet performances in Java and Bali. Mmm... very broad minded Hywel. Anyone western dog who would complain at such a scenario is guilty of Tibetan tea syndrome - saying that the tea tastes crap simply because it's called tea and is crap, not because it's crap anyway. Perhaps I am being culturally insensitive and shouldn't impose my western values about what to expect in a lecture theater from my limited world view (which is what the book is all about ), but perhaps Coleman could also have investigated whether there was any complicity between the teacher and the students (great bloke, gives us all As.) We have a lot of that in Japan. All in all, though, Society and the Language Classroom is fascinating and very though provoking, and I'm still (believe it or not ) open-minded about Indonesian universities. If you are a language teacher or researcher, or if you just happen to be interested in cultural relativity, there is much to enjoy in this collection of essays.

I'm a bit upset I haven't received it yet! Why not? I need it for work.