This book investigates the current EFL market in East Asia focusing on K-12 university and
cram school English education in Japan China and Korea. It explores prevailing educational
practices by both Asian learners and teachers of English contrasting them with Western
practices and illuminating why Western pedagogical methods have often encountered tremendous
resistance from teachers administrators parents and students in the East Asian classroom
context. After establishing this cultural contrast of pedagogical norms the book presents a
series of practical means for adapting Western teaching practices and philosophies to better
suit the learning styles of East Asian students and the cultural context and practical
realities of the East Asian classroom offering both Western teachers working in East Asia and
native East Asian teachers realistic plans for turning theory into successful practice. These
plans are divided by subsections focusing on the linguistic subskills being taught: listening
speaking reading and writing. Each section includes two contrasting lesson plans to
demonstrate how the educational theories and practices promoted by the author can often be
implemented by making relatively simple changes to existing practices that incorporate a fuller
understanding of how to actively assist students in developing new learning styles and
behaviors.
