25 centuries of language teaching; an inquiry into the science, art, and development of language teaching methodology, 500 B.C.-1969

This book provides a new position from which to view language teaching. It does so by giving the first comprehensive account of the origin and development of the basic contributions to the field. Professor's Kelly's discoveries dispel the tendency to believe that great contributions to language teaching occurred only in the 20th Century. His discoveries clearly show that ideas in language teaching have advanced and retreated over nearly 2,000 years. Beginning in 500 B.C. with the Roman fascination with Greek rhetoric, Professor Kelly systematically worked out his way through thousands of references in many languages. Going deep into the roots of the subject, he uncovered documents of historic breakthroughs, which he records here for the first time in English. His research reveals that many of our "modern" contributions are really ages old. A comprehensive account of the origin and development of the basic contributions to the field of language instruction is thematically developed in this text. Major sections treat: (1) methodology, including the teaching of meaning, grammar, and pronunciation; (2) linguistic habit formation concerning speech, reading, and writing; (3) curriculum development; (4) articulation; (5) instructional media; (6) psychology, linguistics, and language teaching; and (7) the effect of language teaching theories on the public and the teaching profession. Numerous illustrations, a bibliography, and a subject and author index are provided. (RL)