STEPPING UP THE QUALITY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING: HOW CAN NATION’S FOUR-STRANDS PRINCIPLE HELP?

Abstract

Certainty in the world of language teaching can seem illusive in these ‘post-method’ times. Theories come and go, policy initiatives and education buzz words (e.g., 21st Century skills, Industry revolution 4.0, Deep Learning, Design Thinking) ebb and flow like waves on the shore, and technology is expanding the possibilities available to teachers and learners faster than ever before. Where can language educators turn for reliable principles to guide and enhance their understanding and practice? In this article, I argue that Nation’s (2007) four-strands principle offers a coherent, theoretically sustainable and highly practical answer to this question, and one that deserves more attention in the field.