Transforming Language Teaching

 

Transformative language learning and teaching goes beyond skill acquisition—it reshapes learners’ perspectives, identities, and agency, while typical proficiency-focused teaching emphasizes measurable outcomes like grammar, vocabulary, and fluency.rs explore new cultural identities, challenge assumptions, and develop empathy across differences.

Key Characteristics

• Seeks deep personal change—learners experience cognitive dissonance, resolve it, and emerge with altered perspectives, identities, or ways of being.
• Learners are agents of their own transformation, engaging in reflection, dissonance, and resolution.
• Teacher is a mentor in the Carl Rogers sense—creating conditions for growth, trust, and self-discovery.
• Evidence of changed perspectives, reflective writing, portfolios, or projects that show growth in identity and worldview.

Transformative approaches recognize that language learning is not just about communication—it’s about becoming. Learners explore new cultural identities, challenge assumptions, and develop empathy across difference

post inspired by Transformative Language Learning and Teaching, edited by Dr. Betty Lou Leaver, Dr. Dan Davidson, and Dr. Christine Campbell, published by Cambridge University Press

book description

Transformative learning has been widely used in the field of adult education for over twenty years, but until recently has received little attention in the field of world languages. Drawing on best practices and the research of distinguished international world language experts, this volume provides theoretical and classroom-tested models of transformative education in world languages at major university, state and governmental programs. Chapters outline theoretical frameworks and detail successful models from cutting-edge programs in a wide range of languages, with plenty of examples included to make the theory accessible to readers not yet familiar with the concepts. Classroom teachers, program administrators and faculty developers at every level of instruction will find support for their courses. With its innovative approach to the teaching and learning of languages, this volume is a seminal text in transformative language learning that will stimulate discussions and innovation in the language field for years to come.

PUBLISHED BY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON AND ELSEWHERE

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