Abstract
The present study discusses the concepts of education and training, while also highlighting the paradigm wars of the positivistic and naturalistic views, beginning with the age of ancient philosophies and continuing to the latest era of postmodernism. Additionally, language education is examined considering the linguistic and educational fundamentals which all need to be based on and combined by a philosophy. The research in foreign language (FL) education is evaluated from both the teaching and learning perspectives in order to reach conclusions concerning the current situation and the requisites of futuristic and innovative FL education. What is my educational philosophy? is proposed as a key question that not only FL teachers but also all educators should ask themselves; a question that will guide teachers throughout their entire lives and illuminate their minds throughout their teaching practice. Teacher and learner roles are discussed in order to determine whether teachers or learners should come first in the process of education. It is emphasised that the philosophical perspectives of education urgently need to be built into the minds of educators prior to asking them to convey knowledge of any kind or to apply the materials of a specific teaching method. The study concludes with the observation that there exists a serious discrepancy between the needs, preferences and interests of the learners and the views held by educational decision makers, who seem to fail to catch up with the trends in technology and globalisation.
Highlights
The authority of those who want to teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn. – CICERO
In the quest for a clearer view of the big picture, in the following an attempt will be made to delve into the concepts of education and training, and highlight the paradigm wars of the positivistic and naturalistic views in the light of approaches adopted in education, beginning with the age of ancient philosophies and continuing to the latest era of postmodernism
In order to find an answer to this question, it might be useful for each individual to comprehend the differences between some basic concepts such as education versus training, teaching versus learning, and the positivistic approach versus the naturalistic approach, as well as to decide about the value of each, which is a subjective matter and to consider the roles of teachers and learners in the process of education
Summary
What is my educational philosophy? is the key question that FL teachers and all educators should ask themselves; a question that will guide teachers throughout their entire lives and illuminate their minds in the course of their careers. Is the key question that FL teachers and all educators should ask themselves; a question that will guide teachers throughout their entire lives and illuminate their minds in the course of their careers. In order to find an answer to this question, it might be useful for each individual to comprehend the differences between some basic concepts such as education versus training, teaching versus learning, and the positivistic approach versus the naturalistic approach, as well as to decide about the value of each, which is a subjective matter and to consider the roles of teachers and learners in the process of education. Teacher candidates need to be encouraged to be creative and active thinkers in order to minimise their reliance on memorisation and passive implementations of foreordained methods, techniques, activities, materials, and so forth, that is, implementing directives that require following fixed procedures and actions, without much thinking, modification, or contribution by the practitioner
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