Publisher's Synopsis
Foreign Languages: Lessons from the Past and Innovations for the Future delves into topics that challenge us in teaching and learning content, applicable skills, pedagogy and the functionality of Foreign Languages at the secondary and tertiary levels of education. Using a practitioner's perspective, it analyses aspects of grammar, lexicology, morphology and material sources as an entry point to learner centred teaching. It discusses professionalism in the languages, the intricacies of translating from foreign to local languages, semiotic equivalence across cultures and intercultural communication skills. Basing on empirical data, it traces the history of foreign language education in Uganda, literacy's facilitation of language acquisition, current institutional/structural challenges, to propose effective solutions. It propounds the functionality of foreign languages: making a link between foreign language learning and the acquisition intercultural competencies, marketing capacity and international business.
Most importantly, this book, transforms abstract knowledge of foreign language teaching into experiential learning that can help us to practically frame teaching messages and harness the learning environment to cause pedagogical change. It is that spotting of innovations for the future for better communication, translation, interaction and transaction, which makes Foreign Languages: Lessons from the Past and Innovations for the future extremely instructive; an inspirational testimony of practitioners who preach what they teach.
What others say
"The richness of this work is its multidisciplinary perspective of teaching and learning languages. It looks at foreign languages from several theoretical angles and pools knowledge and skills from different cultures." - Prof Oswald K. Ndoleriire, Professor of Linguistics and Director of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University
"This book offers intercultural inroads to understanding the learners, materials, approaches, and the ever-changing environment of teaching foreign languages. It is a language-teaching support in many socio-cultural learning contexts. It takes the integrated methods of language teaching to another level, and will influence your perspective as an innovative educationalist or linguist." - Dr. Robinah Kyeyune, Senior Lecturer, Language Pedagogy, School of Education, Makerere University
