H.G. WIDDOWSON, Learning Purpose and Language Use

Resumo

Over the last decade or so, language teaching has been evolving in two major ways: by trying to improve the language content of its courses, and by trying to improve the exercises. Although these strands of development are not mutually incompatible, the emphasis on language content has perhaps been greater. More recently, however, the methodological side has started to attract more attention, and the present book is a contribution to this line of development. Although he calls it "only a framework, a construct for convenience" Widdowson sets out to integrate theory of language ability, types of course and methodology, and relate the whole to educational theory, thus engaging in an important task for the language teaching profession.