Customer Reviews

Teaching English Across Cultures: An Introduction for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

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Apparently this book was revolutionary in the 1970s but is now considered dated. I'm told the Lado language school has EXTENSIVELY revised and improved on it's methods since this book was first published. Really it's only of use if you have a keen interest in the history of English language teaching....

I have been teaching new teachers of ESL/EFL for the past 10 years and there is a special place in my curriculum for this book. Yes, one reason is that it was written by my father, a pioneer dedicated to scientific inquiry of the field, but that is not the only reason. My students find this book useful because it covers so many topics in such a clear fashion. It is a classic that is packed with practical information about many of the basic topics in TEFL.
There are two ways in which I use the book. At the university level, I have my students select one aspect of English in order to focus lesson planning. They then read the corresponding chapter and write a lesson plan. They find the book easy to read with specific suggestions.
Another way I use the book is in a TEFL certificate program at the LADO Schools. The outline for the TEFL certificate skills follows the topics covered in the book.
The field of TEFL has grown so much since Dr. Robert Lado conducted his first inquiries on efficient and effective ways to teach. He based his writing on this scientific inquiry and as a result, much of what in contained in this classic book, still is useful today. I consider it a good read for beginning EFL teachers. Of course it is not the only book TEFL should read. But it is a useful classic.