Teaching Languages Online

Reviews / Votes

When it comes to language learning, the question is no long whether online instruction is effective, but rather how to go about creating effective learning opportunities online. This question is answered with admirable clarity by Meskill and Anthony. Through exposition and example, they demonstrate those areas of language pedagogy that are more effectively dealt with through online than face-to-face instruction. The book is a valuable addition to the growing list of books on the subject, and will be valued by experienced as well as novice online language teachers. * David Nunan, Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics, University of Hong Kong * This is an ideal book for language educators who value a sociocultural view of second language learning and want to teach effectively online using cutting-edge, judiciously chosen technologies and Internet resources. Meskill and Anthony have crafted an impressive set of tools for both the novice and the experienced online instructor, with many authentic examples in a number of languages, masterfully combining modalities so as to appeal to the digital native learners of the 21st century. * Dorothy Chun, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. * With numerous example activities, extracts from student-teacher interactions, and practical suggestions for the implementation of online teaching, 'Teaching Languages Online' (Meskill and Anthony, 2010) is a valuable addition to the language teachers' book-shelf. * Zoee Handley, Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK - LINGUIST List 21.4908 * The book is a principled collection of techniques and activities that will inspire online teachers to try similar techniques in their own classrooms. In fact, the book's real strength is as a guide, or even an introduction, to language teaching techniques whether online or not. Novice language teachers who are digital natives may find this book an ideal way to learn to teach, as it frames teaching in very familiar, online ways without assuming that the teacher has taught in a traditional classroom. Expert teachers who are digital immigrants will benefit as well, as they may already know when, how, and why to do things like 'trap' learners into using particular forms, but they might not easily realize that it can be done in different, more effective ways online. -- Jonathon Reinhardt, University of Arizona in The Canadian Modern Language Review, 2012, 68, 4, 451-457