Jack Croft Richards (born 28 July 1943) is an applied linguist from New Zealand, specializing in second and foreign language education, teacher training, and materials design. [1]He is the grandson of the New Zealand organ builder George Croft.[2]
He has written numerous articles and books. Most of his books and articles are in the field of second language teaching and have been translated into many different languages. He was appointed full professor in the Department of English as a Second Language at the University of Hawaii in 1981 and later served as full professor in universities in Hong Kong and New Zealand.[3][4][5]
Richards began his career in Southeast Asia, teaching in Indonesia after completing his doctorate.[7] He then joined Singapore’s Regional Language Centre (RELC) as a specialist in applied linguistics, supported by the New Zealand government.[8]
In 1989, he returned to Hong Kong to establish and lead the new Department of English at City University of Hong Kong as chair professor. [9]In 1996, Richards established a master's program in English at the University of Auckland.[10] He retired from full-time appointments in 1999, after which he continued to teach workshops at RELC Singapore, and Sydney University, and Victoria University as an honorary or adjunct professor. [11]
Richards is a author and educator, with over 150 books and articles to his name.[1] His landmark works include Error Analysis (1974), a foundational early text in research and pedagogy in second-language acquisition.[12] He is also the author and co-author of many widely used textbooks for learners of English including the best-selling series Interchange (5th ed., 2017) which has sold more than 50 million copies world-wide.[13]
In applied linguistics his co-authored Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (with Theodore S. Rodgers) is now in its third edition (2014), and The Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (with Richard Schmidt) reached its fourth edition in 2010.[8]
Richards’s other influential publications include The Language Teaching Matrix (1990)[14], Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms (1996, with Charles Lockhart)[15], and Curriculum Development in Language Teaching (2nd ed., 2017). [8]
He has also contributed to and edited major volumes such as Language Learning Beyond the Classroom (with David Nunan, 2014) and The Cambridge Guide to Pedagogy and Practice in Language Teaching (with Anne Burns, 2012), Curriculum Development in Language Teaching (2nd ed., 2017), Key Issues in Language Teaching (2015), and Teaching and Learning in English Medium Instruction (with Jack Pun, 2022).[10]
In 2011, Victoria University of Wellington awarded him an honorary Doctor of Literature degree for his contributions to English language teaching and the arts.[16]
That same year, he was appointed honorary professor at the University of Sydney; in 2014, he received the Award for Patronage from the Arts Foundation of New Zealand and became honorary professor at the University of Auckland.[2]
During its 50th anniversary in 2016, TESOL International recognized Richards as one of "50 at 50", identifying him among the most influential language-teaching specialists of the prior fifty years.[4]
His early research on error analysis, including Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition (1974), was influential in the study of learner errors and interlanguage development.[19] Among his most widely cited works is Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (with Theodore S. Rodgers), a standard text in teacher education now in its third edition.[20]
Richards has also advanced the concept of reflective teaching through works such as Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms (with Charles Lockhart, 1996)[21], Beyond Training (1998)[22], and Professional Development for Language Teachers (with Thomas Farrell, 2005).[23]
In curriculum studies, Richards emphasized structured but flexible design, outlined in The Language Teaching Matrix (1990) and Curriculum Development in Language Teaching (2001; 2nd ed. 2017). [24]His lexicographic contributions include co-authoring the Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (with Richard Schmidt, 4th ed. 2010). More recent collaborations, such as The Cambridge Guide to Pedagogy and Practice in Language Teaching and Language Learning Beyond the Classroom (with David Nunan), examine evolving pedagogies and learning contexts.[25]
Richards has also promoted creativity in language teaching, encouraging student-centered and open-ended tasks. Beyond linguistics, he is active in philanthropy, funding grants and scholarships in applied linguistics, music, and the arts, and has published on his decorative arts collection in Lalique Vases: The New Zealand Collection of Dr. Jack C. Richards (2011).[26]
Awards
In 2011 he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Literature by Victoria University, Wellington, in respect of his impacts to English language teaching and the arts.[27]
In 2011, Richards was made an honorary professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Sydney, Australia.[28]
In 2014, Richards was made an honorary professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.[27]
Also in 2014, Richards received the prestigious Award for Patronage 2014, by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, acknowledging his support for music and the arts.[4]
Selected publications
Books
Richards, J. C. (2017). Curriculum Development in Language Teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Nunan, D., & Richards, J. C. (2014). Language Learning Beyond the Classroom (ESL & Applied Linguistics Professional Series) (1st ed.). Routledge.
Richards, J. C. (2015). Key Issues in Language Teaching (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (Cambridge Language Teaching Library) (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W. (2010). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (4th ed.). Routledge.
Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice (1st ed.). Cambridge University Press.[29][30][31]
Classroom Texts & Series
2019. Four Corners. (with David Bolhke) 2nd edition. Levels 1,2,3,4.[32]
2017. Interchange. (with J. Hull and S Proctor) 5th edition. Levels 1,2,3[33]
2012. Speak Now. (with David Bohlke). Levels 1,2,3.[34]
2011. Tactics for Listening. (3 level series). 3rd edition[35]
2004. Connect. (with C.Sandy and C. Barbesan)
Articles
Sadeghi, K., Richards, J. C., & Ghaderi, F. (2019). Perceived versus Measured Teaching Effectiveness: Does Teacher Proficiency Matter? RELC Journal, 51(2), 280–293. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688219845933
Richards, J. C., & Wilson, O. (2019). On Transidentitying. RELC Journal, 50(1), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688218824780
Richards, J. C. (2015a). The Changing Face of Language Learning: Learning Beyond the Classroom. RELC Journal, 46(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688214561621
↑ Richards, Jack C. (1974). Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition. Applied Linguistics and Language Study. Florence: Taylor and Francis. ISBN978-1-315-83600-3.
↑ Richards, Jack C.; Lockhart, Charles (1994). Reflective teaching in second language classrooms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-511-66716-9.
↑ Richards, Jack C. (1974). Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition. Applied Linguistics and Language Study. Florence: Taylor and Francis. ISBN978-1-315-83600-3.
↑ Richards, Jack C.; Lockhart, Charles (1994). Reflective teaching in second language classrooms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-511-66716-9.
↑ Richards, Jack C.; Farrell, Thomas S. C. (2005). Professional development for language teachers: strategies for teacher learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-511-66723-7.
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