Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

Presenter: Randi Reppen

Adhering to the conference theme of ‘The Future Is Now: Building New Traditions in TESOL’ this presentation will begin with a brief overview of how language teaching has changed over the years. Then we will examine some recent innovations in teaching, materials and technology. We’ll also look at how language research, especially corpus linguistic research and resources can be used to bring ‘real language’ into our language classes with a focus on grammar and vocabulary instruction. Examples and practical ideas will be presented.

When: Friday, October 23 (time TBA)

Randi Reppen is Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESL at Northern Arizona University where she teaches in the MA TESL and Applied Linguistics Ph.D. programs. She has extensive ESL and teacher training experience, including 11 years directing NAU’s Intensive English program. Randi’s main interests the use of corpus research to inform teaching and to develop better language teaching materials. Recent publications include Using Corpora in the Language Classroom, Grammar and Beyond, and the Cambridge Handbook of English Corpus Linguistics (co-edited with Doug Biber). In her spare time, Randi enjoys many outdoor activities, especially biking, Nordic skiing and tennis.