Pedagogical Innovations in Oral Academic Communication

Oral communication is key to students’ classroom success and a skill that is highly valued in both academic and professional contexts, yet there are few resources for developing courses on oral academic communication. This edited collection gathers TESOL scholars and practitioners in exploring the theories, principles, and pedagogical practices that shape and help innovate the teaching of oral communication in higher education.

Pedagogical Innovations in Oral Academic Communication is grounded in four key principles: academic discourse socialization; context-responsive instruction; instructional approaches of English for Academic Purposes and English for Specific Purposes; and asset-oriented pedagogy. In the chapters in this collection, the authors share their teaching context, the details and underlying principles of their pedagogical approach, and recommendations for practitioners. Readers will develop a deeper understanding of the communicative contexts their students inhabit, including the types of speaking situations they are likely to encounter, and understand how to innovate their approach to teaching oral communication to students from diverse cultural, linguistic, educational, and disciplinary backgrounds. Such innovations prepare students for more effective communication during their academic studies and professional career, a goal that is of central importance in our globally interconnected society.