Background reading
The teaching of Slavonic and East European languages presents a number of challenges which are specific to those languages. Some of these challenges are discussed on the pages of this website, and links are given to readings on this topic.
However, the literature on good practice in the teaching of languages in general is extensive, and teachers who are starting out in their careers, or would like to extend their knowledge, would do well to benefit from the research and experience of others, both in the field of mainstream and less-widely taught languages.
A brief list of useful general texts is given below, with links to those which may be found online:
Fellerer, Jan, ‘The future of the teaching and learning of Slavonic and East European languages in the UK’, CEELBAS Language Repository.
Klapper, John, Understanding and developing good practice: Language teaching in higher education, London: CILT, 2006.
Grundy, Sas, Vanderhelst and Van Rosum, A Journey through Online Language Learning, a resource enabling language teachers to explore the possibilities of online learning.
A selection of papers collated by the LLAS (Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies) from HE practitioners across the sector.
The website of the University of Cambridge Language Centre, including ‘Open Courseware’ resources.
Tinsley, Teresa, ‘Languages: The State of the Nation’, a report commissioned by the British Academy, 2013. This publication establishes baseline data on foreign language use and deficits in the UK in order to deepen understanding of these issues and identify key priorities for action to address them.
Effective learning and teaching in UK higher education, a commentary by the Learning and Teaching Research Programme.
A glossary of terms relating to language teaching and learning (PDF, 485KB). Compiled by Ilona Huszti of the Ferenc Rákóczi II (Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute, Berehovo, Ukraine). This comprehensive glossary provides clear and straightforward explanations, in English, of many of the terms that language teachers will come across in their teaching and readings of professional literature.