John Field Universities of Reading and Cambridge, uk

Concerns about the Comprehension Approach

• Teacher-centred; isolation of learners
• The notion of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ answers
• Origins in L2 reading methods; consequent misconceptions about the nature of listening
• Heavy emphasis on meaning building at the expense of decoding
• Emphasis on the products of listening in the form of correct answers, and not the process

A partial solution: a diagnostic approach

• a. Teacher adopts a non-interventionist stance
• Who thinks the answer is A? Who thinks it is B? Shall we hear it again?
• b. Teacher follows up both right and wrong answers.
• Why do you think answer A is right? Why do you think answer B is right?