Presenter: Diane Larsen-Freeman
A New Way of Thinking
Diane Larsen-Freeman
Diane Larsen-Freeman
It is said that the only thing constant is change itself. No where is this more the case than in language education. Globalization has brought about mobility of student populations, technological innovation, has challenged traditional ways of conceiving of the English language and its teaching and has even forced us to rethink the goal for learning English itself.
I will begin this talk by elaborating on such changes, and I will go on to address the question of how teachers can cope with the constant changes. My answer will be informed by my theoretical commitment to Complexity Theory, which is essentially a theory of change. I will briefly introduce the theory, but spend more time showing how Complexity Theory gives us a new way to think about our field. I will explore such concepts as innovation, adaptation, improvisation, iteration, and inspiration. This new way of thinking is essentially in keeping with the complex and dynamic Zeitgeist of the modern world.