Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (Teaching Techniques in English as a Second Language)

Strictly an overview, and a good concise introduction to the major techniques for introducing English as an L2 to ELL's.
Typically one good example of a class session for each topic, then a side-by-side summary of characteristics and applicable principals.

If you are learning about different methods, or trying to decide which might best fit your style, this is an excellent place to start. If you are looking for in-depth training and applications, more specifically-oriented material would be better.

Unlike many texts for educators, Larsen-Freeman's survey of the methodologies that can be used in ESL is concrete and practical. The book devotes a chapter to each technique, from Grammar/Translation to ALM to Communicative Language Learning. In each case the author describes a lesson in minute detail, breaks apart the pieces, and then examines the principles underlying the steps in the lesson. Larsen-Freeman's point, which I think every good teacher instinctively realizes, is that every method has something to recommend it, and the best approach is to have a cookbook of methods at one's disposal. In an individual class, with any individual student, it's hard to predict what the key to learning will be. This book is simple when explaining theory, and detailed when it comes to practice--a good combination for the working teacher.

Bottom line, I got what I was expecting and what I paid for. It's in really great shape.

Covers all current techniques for language teaching. Impartial treatment of each method and good arguments of how they may be actually implemented.

The methodologies presented in the first six chapters are each a compendium of obsolete second language teaching techniques. The information is interesting but not valuable. In its later chapters, this book successfully describes common methods used in today's classroom. It is a fairly good reference book for beginning ESL teachers to have.