What+is+Dogme+ELT?

=Dogme ELT=

//Dogme ELT// is a materials light methodology. Started by Scott Thornbury, and growing out of beliefs and ideas about the importance of conversation-driven learner-focused language teaching, its influence has continued to grow since its inception in February 2000.

It takes its name from the Dogme 95 filmmaking movement, who challenged cinema's dependency on special effects, often at the expense of story. Like Dogme 95, Dogme ELT also has ten key principles.

They are :-
 * **Interactivity** between learners and teachers should be the focus of classroom activity
 * Content for classes should mainly come out of the **engagement** with 'the people in the room'
 * Knowledge should be co-constructed and come out of **dialogue** rather than be transmitted to the learners from the teacher
 * The teacher should shape and support (**scaffolding**) learning that emerges through conversation
 * Language learning is an //organic// process, based on what **emerges** from dialogue.

(//Meddings & Thornbury, 2009//)

There has been much discussion about how best teachers can put this philosophy of language learning to use. Especially if a teacher is bound by the place they work to stick to a rigid curriculum and are forced to follow a course-book. Some have said that the best way to start is for teachers to keep the ideas above in mind and to look out for //Dogme ELT moments//. The //Teaching Unplugged// book (see below) is an excellent resource book with advice about creating the right conditions for this, and activities to help teachers make their classes more Dogme ELT.



Find out More:

 * Teaching Unplugged by Luke Meddings & Scott Thornbury (DELTA Publishing)
 * Teaching Unplugged sources (articles, etc on Scott Thornbury's website)
 * Dogme ELT Yahoo Discussion Group