Post-method Pedagogy: Contextualized Methods for Productive Teaching and Learning

Abstract

With the emergence of Kumaravadivelu’s post-method pedagogy, favoring one method after the other is no longer acknowledged by the English language teaching practitioners. Instead, using contextualized methods has come abreast with the needs of the particular learning setups worldwide. This situation warranted for investigating the problem why contextualized methods selected based on Post-method concepts are significant in current ELT scenario and how they pave the path for productive teaching and learning. Using a multi-method approach with questionnaire with Likert scale, an in-depth interview, observation with reflection and a sample of 200 English language learners in a higher educational institute, this study aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of context sensitive methods for productive learning based on the three parameters; particularity, practicality and possibility introduced by Kumaravadivelu in his Post-method pedagogy, which is a call for more teacher and learner autonomy. This study found that contextualized learning methods; materials and strategies used based on above three parameters were more effective in enhancing the learner competency and paved the path for empowerment of the teacher. It was finally concluded that contextualized methods used based on post-method parameters promote productive teaching and learning. Further, this study recommends that teachers should consider their own particular contexts when selecting the teaching methods, while striving to develop themselves as theorists, considering the sociopolitical experiences the students bring to the language learning context.