A Book Report on The Developing Language Learner: An Introduction To Exploratory Practice

Abstract：This paper is a book report of The Developing Language Learner： An Introduction To Exploratory Practice， written by Dick Allwright and Judith Hanks. In this book report， an inclusive practitioner research model will be introduced under the guidance of five propositions about the readers and seven principles.

Key words：book report; exploratory practice; inclusive practitioner research

中圖分类号：H319         文献标识码：A            文章编号：1672-1578（2019）03-0001-01

1   Introduction

The book The Developing Language Learner： An Introduction To Exploratory Practice（2009），a book on the field of applied linguistics written by Dick Allwright and Judith Hanks， shows a form of practitioner research through which teachers and learners working together， during language lessons， to explore and develop their own understandings about their classroom lives.

2   Characteristics of this book

2.1 Structure

In the opening portion of the book， Allwright and Hanks give a general introduction about learners. Introducing and addressing the importance of five propositions about learners who is called as key developing practitioners. The first and second part explore the background in pedagogical field to trace how ideas about classroom language learner have developed in recent decades. It is concluded that inclusive practitioner research offers the most appropriate approach to helping learners become key developing practitioners. The third part illustrates what the ideas can mean in practice and presenting classroom case studies from various parts of the world. Finally， the fourth part presents sources and links， which offers some guidance to anyone wishing to try the ideas out for themselves.

2.2 Five Propositions about learners

After years of work on teacher development， learners are often neglected as key developing practitioners while teachers are taking seriously as developing professionals. In the first chapter of this book， Allwright and Hanks illustrate what they think of learners. They states that key developing practitioners are： learners who can be assisted to develop as practitioners of learning together with teachers， and they are the only people who can do their own leaning.

With the inspiration such learners provide， Five Propositions are raised by the authors accordingly， providing starting points for embarking on Exploratory Practice research.

2.3 Exploratory Practice

Allwright and Hanks raise a proposal for a form of research that will meet all the requirements is Exploratory Practice（EP）， an fully inclusive research model as their response. Allwright and Hanks also suggest that practitioners might undertake their own exploratory inclusive research investigations， in line with both seven Principles： 'Quality of life'， working for understanding， involving everybody， bring people together， mutual development， an continuing enterprise and integrating the work for understanding.

3   Personal Benefits

This book presents us seven principles about the Exploratory Practice. It is placed as the first principle that 'Quality of life' for language teachers and learners is the most appropriate central concern for practitioner research in our field. The vivid paradigm provided by the Rio de Janeiro Exploratory Practice Group has also show that good rapport built between members， sharing feelings and weaknesses openly and discussing puzzles with teachers with different background can release their pressure and improve teachers quality of living.

It is appeared that teachers and learners are always overload with tasks and teaching tasks to meet the requirements from the authorities. Therefore， finding a way to integrate the work into existing curricular practices will definitely eliminate the downward tendency and improve teachers quality of life accordingly.

4   Conclusion

Exploratory Practice is an emerging method for teaching research， which integrates daily teaching practices with research， involve both teachers and students in investigation and opens a new perspective for teachers and researchers. So， in order to build mutual understanding between teachers and students and enrich our knowledge of teaching， it is a good choice to read this book.

References：

[1] Allwright， D. & Hanks J. The Developing Language Learner： An Introduction To Exploratory Practice[M]. London： Palgrave MacMillan， 2009.

[2] Kemmis，S.& McTaggart R.The Action Research Planner[M].Singapore： Springer Victoria： Deakin University press，1988.

[3] Lincoln，Y. S. & Guba E. G. Handbook of Qualitative Research[M].Thousand Oaks： Sage Publications，2000.

[4] Wu，Z.Understanding practitioner research as a form of life： An Eastern interpretation of Exploratory Practice[M]. Beijing： Foreign language teaching and research press，2005.

作者簡介：陈宁宁（1995-），女，汉族，浙江师范大学研究生在读，研究方向：学科英语教学研究。