FROM FIRM GROUND TO SHIFTING SANDS: ISSUES IN ADOPTING LEARNER-CENTRED ESL/EFL PEDAGOGY

Abstract

This paper recognises that all new approaches and methods of language teaching may have sound theoretical justifications, but the adoption of these in most classrooms, especially in the third world countries, is problematic in some way or other. Curriculum developers and policy makers are often carried away by the new proposals and are eager to subscribe to them probably because questioning the assumptions underlying these proposals coming from theoreticians from developed countries might amount to being labelled „old fashioned‟ or „resistant to change‟. Implementing learner-centred methods in an ESL/EFL context is one such proposal. The paper attempts to present some of the problems and challenges an ESL/EFL teacher may face in trying to adopt learner-centred methods in his/her teaching. It argues that unless these are identified, discussed and addressed, teaching and learning in such a context will not be as effective as one would like or expect to be. The issues and concerns raised in this paper are relevant and valid for other subject areas besides second or foreign language teaching.