The Dysfunctions of the Theory/Practice Discourse

Abstract

The distinction between theory and practice in professional and public discourse is generally dysfunctional for teachers. There are a number of reasons for this. Because the individuals involved in developing theory are seldom full-time language teachers themselves, the theory/practice distinction creates strata of expertise in which teachers are considered less expert than theorists. The theory tends to be imported from other disciplines and is, therefore, only marginally applicable to language teaching. As in education in general, the discourse tends to be authoritarian and prescriptive. It is also general, necessarily limited in applicability to particular classrooms. Finally, the theory/practice discourse underestimates the institutional, political, and interpersonal constraints in which teachers work. This article expands each of these points in developing the argument that the distinction is unhealthy for the profession. Possible responses are explored.