Francois Victor Tochon

Help Them Learn a Language Deeply - Francois Victor Tochon's Deep Approach to World Languages and Cultures

The author proposes a revolution in the way we teach world languages. The book presents what is tomorrow's mainstream as regards language teaching methods. It indicates severe limits in the standardization of outcomes defined through backward planning, and moves on with project-based, forward planning on the basis of flexible instructional organizers. The focus is on cultural pragmatics and assisted, self-directed learning. Text acquires primacy. Extensive reading, intensive writing and recording take the fore to support communication progress and depth. A large part of what is done in classrooms is blended and self-determined by the student or groups of students who choose their pacing and personalized productions. Such apprenticeship becomes meaningful through transdisciplinary aims. Compatible with content-based and literacy-based approaches, the deep approach creates a situation in which students are the curriculum builders.