Page 35 - ELG2309 Sep Issue 486

REVIEWS

Philip Kerr’s 30 Trends in ELT
Cambridge Handbooks for
Language Teachers: Pocket editions
Cambridge University Press, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-00-907372-1
ollowing my review in this journal of
David Crystal’s ‘50 Questions About
English Usage’ from the same publisher
F(Issue 477), what a pleasure it was soon
after to receive the title under review here.
Similarly sized – just like your bright, shiny
Kindle – it can be popped into either a large
purse or a very small manbag; handy to have
with you if you are once again, like myself,
waiting for a plane. In fact, I managed to read
at least five trends each time I was delayed
in the lounge in Istanbul airport this past
summer (Sunday evening is not a good time
to fly from there, by the way).
As each trend is covered well in three
concise pages, not to mention the shortlist
of key resources, it wasn’t too much of a
challenge to get some serious review reading
done both at the gate and on the plane.
My problem was missing my plane; the
Istanbul lounge makes no announcements,
and I was occasionally a bit too engrossed
in some of the trends, especially those that
were either completely new to me, such as
‘Chatbox,’ and ‘Grit’ or recent hot topics
like ‘Wellbeing’ and ‘Content and Language
Integrated Learning’ (CLIL). More on
these below.
As the author explains, his selection of
trends for inclusion is inevitably subjective,
and several – such as the Lexical Approach
and Dogme – he’s excluded as they have
already been widely discussed elsewhere in
more depth. The thirty trends outlined in
this title are divided into three categories:
language, learning, and teaching. While it’s
possible to read them in sequence, I enjoyed
just dipping in and, as there were so many
overlaps, occasionally working backwards.
Part A, ‘Rethinking language,’ looks at
matters such as the relationship between
English and other languages, along with the
integration of English into the curriculum.
As with all trends outlined, the first in this
section on Pluralism explains what it is, why to be able to function in what is termed the This is worth reading often, since for each
it is implemented as a pedagogical principle, ‘knowledge economy.’ Along with the author, trend where is the evidence? This title is
then provides balanced issues for the reader I too have serious doubts about the need for very highly recommended; let me know
to ponder. Also outlined here are English many of the 21st Century Skills propounded what you think.
as a Lingua Franca, Interlingual Mediation, by the World Bank and the OECD;
and English as a Medium of İnstruction. And institutions not famous for their knowledge REFERENCES
before you ask, yes, there is a large degree of of the global ELT context. n Crystal, D. 50 Questions About English
overlap both here and throughout, due to Regular readers of this column will have Usage. Cambridge University Press (2021)
what the author admits are mostly loosely noticed my professional interest in the welfare Mercer S, and Gregersen T. Teacher Wellbeing.
defined trends. Of particular resonance to of teachers. Wellbeing is the topic that opens Oxford University Press (2020).
this reviewer were the author’s comments Part C on ‘Rethinking teaching,’ and here
on how CLIL appears to be more popular – although the author admits to a degree of
with parents and researchers than classroom scepticism regarding the adoption of positive
teachers; those foot soldiers obliged to psychology in titles such as Mercer and Wayne Trotman is
constantly juggle languages. Gregerson (2020) – he rightly concludes that a teacher educator
Part B, ‘Rethinking learning,’ is twice ‘collective responses to both systemic and at Izmir Katip
the length of the previous part, but much individual issues are usually more powerful Çelebi University,
less thought-provoking. It looks at the than teachers trying to work alone’ (p68). Izmir, Turkey.
growing interest in the kind of non-linguistic I’ll second that! Part D is a single standalone
skills – ‘life skills’ – learners are told they need trend labelled ‘Rethinking evidence.’
editorial@elgazette.com 35