English language teaching in Waldorf schools

This diploma thesis deals with the methodology of ELT in Waldorf lower secondary schools. The theoretical part focuses on the historical background and the philosophical premises of Waldorf pedagogy, as well as a general outline of this alternative educational approach. The subsequent chapters are dedicated to the anthroposophical concept of language and the Waldorf methodology of teaching both native and foreign languages. The goal of the practical part is to examine the distinctive features of ELT in this type of schools. The research study is based on the evaluation of the data obtained with the qualitative methods of lesson observation, namely in the 6th and the 8th forms, and interviews with the teachers. The thesis contains a survey of the Waldorf pupils' attitude towards English and the sources of their learning motivation