Dogme language teaching: Difference between revisions

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'''Dogme language teaching''' is considered to be both a methodology and a movement.<ref name="Guardian2004">{{cite news |first=Meddings |last=Luke |title=Throw away your textbooks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2004/mar/26/tefl.lukemeddings |work=The Guardian |date=2004-03-26 |access-date = 2009-06-22 }}</ref> Dogme is a communicative approach to language teaching that encourages teaching without published textbooks and focuses instead on conversational communication among learners and teacher. It has its roots in an article by the language education author, [[Scott Thornbury]].<ref name="Thornbury2000">{{cite journal |url=http://nebula.wsimg.com/fa3dc70521483b645f4b932209f9db17?AccessKeyId=186A535D1BA4FC995A73&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 |title=A Dogma for EFL |access-date=2009-06-23 |last=Thornbury |first=Scott |date=February–March 2000 |publisher=IATEFL Issues |issue=153 |page=2}}</ref> The Dogme approach is also referred to as "Dogme ELT", which reflects its origins in the [[English language learning and teaching|ELT]] (English language teaching) sector. Although Dogme language teaching gained its name from an analogy with the [[Dogme 95]] film movement (initiated by [[Lars von Trier]]) where the directors, actors, and actresses commit a "vow of chastity" to minimize their reliance on special effects that may create unauthentic feelings from the viewers <ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Nguyen|first=Nhat Quang|last2=Phu|first2=Hung Bui|date=2020-09-30|title=The Dogme Approach: A Radical Perspective in Second Language Teaching in the Post-Methods Era|url=https://jle.hse.ru/article/view/10563|journal=Journal of Language and Education|language=en|volume=6|issue=3|pages=173–184|doi=10.17323/jle.2020.10563|issn=2411-7390}}</ref>, the connection is not considered close.<ref name="Thornbury2009Critical">{{cite web|last=Thornbury|first=Scott|date=2009-06-10|title=Dogme: nothing if not critical|url=http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/dogme-nothing-if-not-critical |title=Dogme: nothing if not critical |access-date=2009-06-23 |last=Thornbury |first=Scott |date=2009-06-10 |publisher=Teaching English}}</ref>.

==Key principles==

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==As a critical pedagogy==

Although Thornbury notes that Dogme is not inherently seeking social change and therefore does not fulfill generally held criteria for a [[critical pedagogy]], Dogme can be seen as critical in terms of its anti-establishment approach to language teaching.<ref name="Thornbury2009Critical" />

==Technology and web 2.0==

Although Dogme teaching has been seen to be anti-technology,<ref name="Gill2000" /> Thornbury maintains that he does not see Dogme as being opposed to technology as such,<ref>{{Harvnb|Meddings|Thornbury|2009|p=12}}</ref> rather that the approach is critical of using technology that does not enable teaching that is both learner centered and is based upon authentic communication. Indeed, more recent attempts to map Dogme principles on to language learning with web 2.0 tools (under the term "Dogme 2.0") are considered evidence of Dogme being in transition<ref name="Thornbury2009Transition">{{cite web |url=http://www.deltapublishing.co.uk/development/dogme-in-transition |title=Dogme in Transition? |access-date=2009-06-23 |last=Thornbury |first=Scott |date=2009-05-01 |publisher=Delta Publishing Blog |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516063616/http://www.deltapublishing.co.uk/development/dogme-in-transition |archive-date=2009-05-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and therefore of being compatible with new technology. However, although there is not a clear consensus among Dogme teachers on this issue (see discussions on the [https://groups.yahoo.com/group/dogme/ ELT Dogme Yahoo Group]), there is a dominant view that the physical classroom will be preferable to attempts to substitute physical presence with communication via digital technology.<ref name="Thornbury2009Critical" /> Dogme can combine with different technological tools as our society is constantly changing. Teachers can combine Dogme philosophy with the other methods such as flipped classrooms or e-learning environments. However, what matters is that Dogme, as critical pedagogy, is transformative and seeks social changes<ref name=":0" />

==Criticism==

Dogme has come under criticism from a wide range of teachers and educators for its perceived rejection of both published textbooks and modern technology in language lessons. Furthermore the initial call for a 'vow of chastity' is seen as unnecessarily purist and that a weaker adoption of Dogme principles would allow teachers the freedom to choose resources according to the needs of a particular lesson.<ref name="Gill2000" /> Maley also presents Dogme as an approach that "[increases] the constraints on teachers".<ref>{{Harvnb|Maley|2003|p=190}}</ref> Christensen notes that adoption of Dogme practices may face greater cultural challenges in countries outside of Europe, such as Japan.<ref name="Christensen2005">{{cite journal|url=http://www.jalt-publications.org/archive/tlt/2005/01_2005TLT.pdf|title=Dogme in language teaching in Japan|last=Christensen|first=T|year=2005|journal=The Language Teacher|volume=29|issue=1|pages=15–18|access-date=2009-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711055158/http://www.jalt-publications.org/archive/tlt/2005/01_2005TLT.pdf|archive-date=2009-07-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> Questions have also been raised about the appropriateness of Dogme in low resource contexts and where students are preparing for examinations that have specific syllabi.<ref name="ELTJournal2005">{{cite web |url=http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/59/4/333 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113074124/http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/59/4/333 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-01-13 |title=Online Forum Report: Dogme |access-date=2009-06-23 |last= |first= |year=2005 |publisher=ELT Journal, 59/4: 333-335 }}</ref>

In general, the criticisms and concerns that Dogme encounters revolve around several major issues: the theoretical foundation of the conversation-driven perspective, the under-preparedness of lesson structure structures, and the potential pressure on teachers and students in various learning contexts. Dogme can challenge inexperienced teachers who have an inadequate pedagogical repertoire, and limited access to resources. It may also face challenges regarding its applicability in classes of students with low levels of proficiency. Low-level students cannot interact with the teacher and peers effectively in the target language.<ref name=":0" />

==Notes==