Language Teaching Research

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Book review: Keith S. Folse, 2006: The art of teaching speaking. Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. 296 pp. $30.95 (PB). ISBN 9780472031658
Jesús García Laborda
Language Teaching Research 2007; 11; 503
DOI: 10.1177/1362168807080969

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Language Teaching Research 11,4 (2007); pp. 503–509

Book reviews

Keith S. Folse, 2006: The art of teaching speaking. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum. 296 pp. $30.95 (PB). ISBN 978–0–472–03165–8.

Speaking is probably the most difficult skill to teach in foreign language edu-
cation (Lee and Carrasquillo, 2006). Most teachers are well aware that the
amount of time and resources needed to develop the students’ ability to com-
municate fluently is larger than that of any other language skill. However, few
will hesitate to grant a greater relevance to the achievement of getting their stu-
dents to speak. Of course, the difficulties vary according to students’ origin,
first language, time devoted to learning, age, out of class input, and other as-
pects (Lee, 2005). One of these aspects is precisely how students are taught
(Campbell et al., 1985). Researchers have warned that although some teachers
tend to believe that simply planning a few oral activities will trigger the stu-
dents’ ability to speak, it is important to emphasize the role of input in this
process (White, 1995). Indeed, there is a broad difference between learning how
a language operates (grammar-based teaching) and teaching for communication
while attending to grammar. As a starting point for considering these and other
important issues, The Art of Teaching Speaking offers a practical and reader-
friendly manual and resource guide for experienced and inexperienced teachers
who may be interested either in developing or improving their teaching skills in
this field. The author uses a combination of theory and practical examples to
cover the field, generally in a three-part presentation: a real problem, a theor-
etical basis, and a discussion. In all the chapters, the author includes the perspec-
tives and anecdotes of each topic from the perspective of the practising English
language teacher.
This volume should be considered jointly with its accompanying website
(http://www.press.umich.edu/esl). The book provides essential information
and ideas while the extensive website (about 50 pages) is full of additional
resources and, more importantly, many questions for personal reflection and
review. The book is composed of an introduction, five chapters, and five appen-
dices, plus the references and a final well-annotated index. Chapter 1 addresses
five factors that affect any speaking class: the learner, the curriculum, the topic,
use of the L2, and tasks. At the beginning of the chapter, Folse explains the
different settings in which he himself has taught speaking classes. By identi-
fying himself with the teacher reader, Folse’s explanations make the reader
identify directly or indirectly with the topic. This feeling is reinforced by a
section called ‘In the real world’ that provides real classroom examples extracted
from his own experience.
Chapter 2 presents current research in ELT conversation and speaking. This
chapter pays special attention to six different issues, covering what the author

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504 Book reviews

believes to be the most relevant literature for the subsequent chapters. These
key issues are: fluency, accuracy, interlanguage, comprehensible input, nego-
tiation of meaning, and pushed output. This chapter is especially influential
on the rest of the book because it shows Folse’s perspective on the impact of
research on teaching speaking to foreign language learners. Here, it is worth
mentioning how Folse addresses the key concept of interlanguage. Although
not explicitly addressed, Folse does introduce the idea that learners develop an
intermediate system between no knowledge of the L2 and a native speaker’s L1
proficiency (Selinker, 1972), and he also points out that it is a dynamic system
that can be stretched or modified by the learner. The most significant implica-
tion of this dynamism is that it allows an understanding of errors of different
origin or ‘proficiency level’ that in non-native speakers (NNS) may not reflect
language flaws but incidental developments. Imagine, for instance, that a NNS
omits the ‘s’ when using the third person singular of the present simple tense
of almost any verb in English. According to Folse’s explanations, this error
should be viewed as just a move within the interlanguage continuum rather
than an ‘error’. Obviously, this notion helps teachers to understand how learn-
ers develop in the L2 and promotes flexibility with the treatment of ‘errors’.
The second implication of Folse’s concept of interlanguage is that students
should not aim at native speaker models of language use (which are usually
not the ideal representations of the L2 anyway); rather, they should stretch
and develop their interlanguage with the confidence that a “near to native”
developmental stage can ultimately be achieved.
Practitioner teachers will find Chapter 3 most attractive. In this chapter, 20
teachers narrate their experiences teaching English speaking classes overseas.
Each narration describes the setting, students, and instructional goals, and
stresses how unique each experience can be. The chapter can be approached
from two perspectives: first, according to nationality (by generalizing that most
English students in Mexico, for instance, may share some common features,
processes, and stages in their foreign language learning process); second, ac-
cording to the students’ characteristics such as mood (silent, obedient, extro-
verted), type of institution (private or public; primary, secondary, or tertiary
education) and various other educational characteristics. This two-sided ap-
proach allows great applicability, as an international audience will find a greater
likelihood of having their experiences reflected in some of these teachers’ nar-
rations. Another aspect relevant to most readers is that many issues in the teach-
ing of L2 speaking are common to many teachers, such as the typical silent or
extroverted students. Coverage of these issues makes this probably the most
appealing chapter in the book, and, although sometimes the situations may be
distant from the reader, overall this chapter certainly provides a good deal of
fresh ideas for any teacher. These ideas are reinforced by the 20 activities found
in Chapter 4. As the author says, this chapter ‘includes detailed instructions for
using 20 activities that [the author has] used successfully in conversation
classes in an ESL setting, an EFL setting, or both’ (p. 8). Each activity also

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Book reviews 505

gives information on the materials required, presentation, caveats, and further

suggestions with examples. As usual in this sort of ‘recipe’ approach, the reader
may want to consider the appropriateness of any activity for his or her students,
and what changes should be introduced to make the activities profitable.
The problem of whether a good activity can become a negative one is re-
flected on in Chapter 5, which outlines the kinds of issues teachers deal with
when presenting good activities to the wrong students, in a less communica-
tive setting, or when not previewing the possible problems that may arise with
any activity. Folse does not think so much in terms of good or bad activities,
but of relevance to the context or situation in which they are exploited. Thus,
successful teachers have to learn from their own and others’ experiences alike.
To conclude, Chapter 6 approaches the difficult task of assessing speaking.
Folse mentions that assessment should be linked to the students’ needs;
indeed, most teachers tend to consider assessment simply as an academic act.
Naturally, the book focuses on formal (more academic) assessment, but Folse
seems to imply that assessment is a natural part of education that both for-
mally or informally should not be neglected.
The five appendices address both theoretical and practical issues, such as
teaching vocabulary, pronunciation, and the role of grammar. They also give
samples of successful lesson plans and a list of classroom materials and web-
sites. Another interesting aspect of the book is that few references are found
in the main text. Instead, Folse has enclosed most of the research to which he
refers in a few pages as an epilogue to each chapter. Thus, Folse’s ideas pres-
ented in the body of each chapter are supported by research papers at the end
of each chapter. Thus, Folse is able to link theory and practice in the book.
Overall, the Art of Teaching Speaking is a valuable and up-to-date volume
that presents a convenient blend of current research and practical ideas in the
same line as previous works by the same author. The book provides recipes
and recommendations alike. One potential drawback of the book is the per-
sonal approach, which may discourage some readers who, at times, may feel
excluded because their current teaching situation may be far from those Folse
presents. Indeed a more neutral, impersonal perspective might have appealed
more broadly. On the other hand, Folse’s approach suggests that what is
explained in the book can be put into practice by most teachers. As mentioned
in reference to Chapter 2, Folse’s concept of interlanguage as a dynamic
system is very attractive and, without question, clearly justifies his perspec-
tive on teaching L2 speaking. A possible continuation of this book might
focus on activities for testing speaking for communication.
In conclusion, Folse’s book will serve both new and experienced teachers, and
most teachers will benefit from its well designed and balanced ideas; further, the
website effectively reinforces what has been covered in the book. In one word,
the book is relevant for both practitioner teachers and researchers alike. Teachers
will find suggestions and ideas to be used in the daily class while researchers will
be able to get a valuable update on research in the speaking field.

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506 Book reviews

References
Campbell, R.N., Gray, T.C., Rhodes, N.C. and Snow, M.A. 1985: Foreign language
learning in the elementary schools: A comparison of three language programs.
Modern Language Journal 69(1): 44–54.
Folse, K.S. 2006: The effect of type of written exercise on L2 vocabulary retention.
TESOL Quarterly 40(2): 273–93.
Lee, C. 2005: Different Types of English to which Korean College Students are exposed
outside the class. Paper presented at the Korean Association of Foreign Language
Education. East Lansing, MI: National Center for Research on Teacher Learning
(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED490770).
Lee, K.S. and Carrasquillo, A. 2006: Korean college students in United States:
Perceptions of professors and students. College Student Journal 40(2): 442–56.
Selinker, L. 1972: Interlanguage. IRAL 10: 209–31.
White, L. 1995: Input, triggers, and second language acquisition: Can binding be taught?
In Eckman, F.R., Highland, D., Lee, P.W., Mileham, J. and Weber, R.R., editors,
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee linguistics symposium on second language
acquisition, Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 63–78.

Jesús García Laborda

Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain

Zoltán Dörnyei, 2005: The psychology of the language learner: Individual

differences in second language acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
270 pp. $29.95 (PB). ISBN 0–8058–6018–5.

We live in an era of language teaching ‘approaches’ and ‘methodologies’, where

language teaching ‘methods’ have been relegated to introductory lectures in
teaching methodology courses. The decline of language teaching ‘methods’ was
due in large part to the recognition by language teachers and researchers that it
was unrealistic and counterproductive to expect that a single prescribed way of
teaching would be optimal for all language learners, in all learning contexts
(Brown, 2001). Language learners are individuals, and individuals differ in the
ways they learn. It is these individual differences that Zoltán Dörnyei investi-
gates in The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in
Second Language Acquisition. After a brief introduction in which Dörnyei
describes his objectives in writing this book (to provide a conceptual clarifica-
tion of what individual differences actually are, and to show how individual dif-
ferences can be linked to the processes of second language acquisition), the book
is structured around five major variables related to individual differences.
In Chapter 2, Dörnyei reviews how the ‘Personality, Temperament, and
Mood’ of individual language learners affect how they acquire a second or for-
eign language. The studies reviewed seem to present conflicting results about
learner personality type and language acquisition. For example, the research

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