Product Description

This book is for those teaching languages to adults in blended contexts - in higher, further, and adult education - where a mix of delivery modes and tools may be in use. The edited volume offers a comprehensive overview of the key issues faced and of the developmental issues that may arise for teachers themselves, as well as for those responsible for their professional development. The book examines the impact of different learning environments (online, face-to-face, telephone, etc.) on pedagogic practice and language learner support. It also recognizes the particular socio-cultural, psycho-linguistic, and cognitive issues that have to be taken into account when working with diverse adult language learners in blended settings. Research in the field underpins the chapters to inform better and develop good practice. The book's contributors have all worked on the production of and teaching presentations of The Open University courses in French, German, Spanish, Welsh, Italian, Chinese, and English. They draw on pioneering and innovative work where blended models have been modified and have become more complex over the years. The ideas they present are therefore well-formed, tested, and have been approached reflectively. Language teachers, particularly those who teach adult learners at all levels, will find the book of immense value in enhancing their professional perspective, assisting the development of their own teaching practice, and enabling them to make useful links between research and practice.