Faculty

Scott Thornbury

MATEFL, University of Reading, UK

Scott Thornbury (MATEFL, with distinction, University of Reading, UK), a native of New Zealand who now lives in Spain, is currently series editor of the Cambridge Handbooks for Teachers series. He has been a prolific writer of books and articles for teachers and students and a tireless presenter at international ELT conferences, sharing the knowledge gained from his more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, teacher trainer, and CELTA and UCLES examiner. Faculty Lectures The Secret History of Methods: A Discussion with Scott Thornbury. It is regularly asked "What's the latest method?" suggesting that the concept of method persists, despite recent attempts to bury it. Drawing on a collection of old textbooks and training manuals, Scott Thornbury reviews the history of language teaching methods, both to critique it, and to draw some lessons from past practices. He shows how methods can be described in terms of certain key parameters, and addresses the question as to whether "Dogme ELT" (a new kid on the block) is in fact a method.Seven Ways of Looking at Grammar What is grammar, and how is it internalized in the mind? Is it made up of symbolic code or of neural connections? Is it a sedimented trace left by previous conversations or an innate human capacity? Our answers to these questions obviously shape the way we go about teaching second languages. In this talk, Scott Thornbury reviews some of the main models of grammar—often couched as metaphors—and looks at their implications for classroom practice.Co-sponsored by the English Language Studies Department and Oxford University Press.