INTRODUCTION

The field of TESOL is shaped in substantial ways by how the nature of language teaching is conceptualized. As with teaching in general, language teaching can be conceived in many different ways – for example, as a science, a technology, a craft, or an art. Different views of language teaching lead to different views as to what the essential skills of teaching are, and to different approaches to the preparation of teachers. The purpose of this paper is to examine conceptualizations of teaching which are found in TESOL and to consider the implications of different views of teaching for second language teacher education.

In an important paper on the relationship between theories of teaching and teaching skills, Zahorik (1986) classifies conceptions of teaching into three main categories: science-research conceptions, theory-philosophy conceptions, and art-craft conceptions. I will take this classification as my starting point, illustrating it with examples from the field of language teaching. I will then examine how each conception of teaching leads to differences in our understanding of what the essential skills of teaching are.

SCIENCE-RESEARCH CONCEPTIONS

Science-research conceptions of language teaching are derived from research and are supported by experimention and empirical investigation. Zahorik includes operationalizing learning principles, following a tested model, and doing what effective teachers do, as examples of science-research conceptions.

OPERATIONALIZING LEARNING PRINCIPLES

This approach involves developing teaching principles from research on memory, transfer, motivation, and other factors believed to be important in learning.