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Research

Research

Based on his experience as an EFL teacher, teacher educator, curriculum advisor and textbook consultant in Germany, Professor Kurtz’s research interests lie in the interface of theory and practice, placing strong emphasis on issues and questions related to teaching and learning English as a foreign language in school contexts. Within this nexus, he focuses in particular on the role of improvisation and creativity in enhancing oral proficiency in EFL classrooms, and on EFL textbook analysis, use and innovation in the digital age.

Key publications reflecting major research interests

 

Creativity and improvisation in structured learning environments

  • Kurtz, Jürgen (2015). “Fostering and building upon oral creativity in the EFL classroom”. In: Maley, Alan & Peachey, Nik (Eds.). Creativity in the English Language Classroom. London: British Council, 73-83. (for the online version, please click here).
  • Kurtz, Jürgen (2014). “Promoting oral proficiency in the foreign language class: Improvisation in structured learning environments”. In: Antonio Chenoll, Bernd Sieberg, Mario Franco & Verena Lindemann (Eds.) Falar: A Competência Oral no Ensino de uma Língua Estrangeira; Speaking: Teaching Oral Communication Skills in Foreign Languages. Lisboa: Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Cultura, 18-53. (online version available here)
  • Kurtz, Jürgen (2011): “Breaking through the communicative cocoon: Improvisation in secondary school EFL classrooms”. In: Sawyer, R. Keith (Ed.) (2011). Structure and Improvisation in Creative Teaching. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press, 131-160.

Textbook analysis, development and consumption

  • Kurtz, Jürgen (2019). „Lehrwerkgestütztes Fremdsprachenlernen im digitalen Wandel“. In: Burwitz-Melzer, Eva; Riemer, Claudia & Schmelter, Lars (Hrsg.) (2019). Das Lehren und Lernen von Fremd- und Zweitsprachen im digitalen Wandel. Arbeitspapiere der 39. Frühjahrskonferenz zur Erforschung des Fremdsprachenunterrichts. Tübingen: Narr, 114-125.
  • Kurtz, Jürgen (2019). „Lehrwerkbasierte Unterrichtsgestaltung: Herausforderung für die sprachpraktische Englischlehrerbildung an Universitäten und Pädagogischen Hochschulen.“ In: Ruisz, Dorottya; Rauschers, Petra & Thaler, Engelbert (Hrsg.) (2019). Living Language Teaching: Lehrwerke und Unterrichtsmaterialien im Fremdsprachenunterricht. Tübingen: Narr, 173-190.
  • Kurtz, Jürgen (2018). “Adopting Augmented Reality for Task-Oriented EFL Textbook Development, Instruction and Learning”. Fremdsprachen Lehren und Lernen, 2, 45-63. (for an adapted online version, please click here).