Listening to Lorca: A Journey into Language

by Eric Hawkins

Professor Hawkins, one of the foremost figures in language teaching, describes his "journey into language" through a series of key professional - and often moving - episodes drawn from the sweep of 20th century European history, encompassing the Spanish Civil War, the rise of Nazism, World War in Europe and North Africa, and the bridge-building that followed. In the first of these episodes, Hawkins finds himself in republican Spain listening to the poet Federico Garcia Lorca perform with his travelling theatre company at the newly-formed International University. He develops not only a love of language learning, but of language itself as a defining charactersitic of our humanity. Eric hawkings writes in a modest, self-depracating style which belies his importance in inspiring generations of language students and contributing to educational developments and debates over 50 years. His book is a restatement of the need to cherish language and culture at a time when linguistic and cultural differences all too often divide humanity rather than show us what we have in common.

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2000

Reviews

[Paul Servini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of how a leading language teacher first got involved in languages. It interested me both as a language teacher myself, but also because of the personality behind the teaching.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Professor Eric Hawkins, one of the foremost figures in language teaching, tells of how he set off on his path of learning