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Product reviews for Independent Thinking on MFL
John Connor, independent MFL consultant
-‹Crista's work is well known and recognised within the language teaching community, so to see her crystallise her ideas into Independent Thinking on MFL is a very welcome sight. She brings to the book a wealth of classroom experience and an unsurpassed depth of background reading and knowledge, which is well communicated throughout.
-‹ -‹The various components of language teaching pedagogy and methodology are broken down into smaller pieces, complete with in-depth analyses of the issues and barriers to learning. Crista then proposes a wealth of strategies to address these issues - all rooted in classroom practice, and many of which require little in the way of burdensome preparation.
-‹ -‹There is a thread running throughout the book which reinforces the notion that language is a gateway to the culture of the country whose language is being studied. This is further emphasised in a welcome section on creativity, which examines the roles played by art, music and film in the language learning process.
-‹ -‹Crista also shares some down-to-earth practical advice on working with other contributors to the learning experience, such as teaching assistants and foreign language assistants, and a consideration of how to approach teaching languages to pupils with special educational needs or disabilities.
-‹ -‹One of the challenges that language teachers continually face is defending the worth of their subject in the face of stiff competition from other subjects. Very often the perception is that languages are hard and of limited use (-˜I'm never going to France, so why am I learning French?'), but Crista tackles this head-on and gives a very useful analysis of the problem, along with strategies to address it.
-‹ In summary, Independent Thinking on MFL will be a welcome addition to the CPD library of any MFL department. It is very accessible, and reading it is like having a conversation with Crista. Her personality, dedication to the task and enthusiasm shine through the text. I found myself repeatedly nodding in agreement. As an NQT I would have found the book invaluable, and I'm sure that current and future cohorts of new entrants to the profession will find it of immense support as a vade mecum through the trials and tribulations of the best job in the world - teaching languages.
-‹ -‹The various components of language teaching pedagogy and methodology are broken down into smaller pieces, complete with in-depth analyses of the issues and barriers to learning. Crista then proposes a wealth of strategies to address these issues - all rooted in classroom practice, and many of which require little in the way of burdensome preparation.
-‹ -‹There is a thread running throughout the book which reinforces the notion that language is a gateway to the culture of the country whose language is being studied. This is further emphasised in a welcome section on creativity, which examines the roles played by art, music and film in the language learning process.
-‹ -‹Crista also shares some down-to-earth practical advice on working with other contributors to the learning experience, such as teaching assistants and foreign language assistants, and a consideration of how to approach teaching languages to pupils with special educational needs or disabilities.
-‹ -‹One of the challenges that language teachers continually face is defending the worth of their subject in the face of stiff competition from other subjects. Very often the perception is that languages are hard and of limited use (-˜I'm never going to France, so why am I learning French?'), but Crista tackles this head-on and gives a very useful analysis of the problem, along with strategies to address it.
-‹ In summary, Independent Thinking on MFL will be a welcome addition to the CPD library of any MFL department. It is very accessible, and reading it is like having a conversation with Crista. Her personality, dedication to the task and enthusiasm shine through the text. I found myself repeatedly nodding in agreement. As an NQT I would have found the book invaluable, and I'm sure that current and future cohorts of new entrants to the profession will find it of immense support as a vade mecum through the trials and tribulations of the best job in the world - teaching languages.
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19/02/2020 00:00
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