Dogme in Practice: Classroom Reflections by Fellow Teachers

What if you could step away from the textbook, the syllabus, and the rigid lesson plan—and instead co-create meaningful learning experiences with your students? Dogme in Practice invites you into a world where language is emergent, learner-centered, and built around authentic communication. Inspired by Scott Thornbury’s influential article “A Dogma for EFL” (2000), the Dogme approach has resonated with teachers around the world who are seeking more responsive, materials-light ways to engage learners. This book brings together reflections from educators who have tried Dogme in diverse contexts—ranging from young learners to adults, from university classrooms to online learning spaces, across both ESL and EFL environments. Inside, you’ll find: Practical examples of how teachers have implemented Dogme in real classrooms Reflections on the opportunities and challenges of teaching “unplugged” Thoughtful commentary from Scott Thornbury and Luke Meddings, co-authors of Teaching Unplugged Whether you’re new to Dogme or already teaching in ways that echo its principles, this book offers both inspiration and grounded insights to support your journey. CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: Bruno Albuquerque Zarafshan Aslam, Syeda Brad Barker Peter Brereton Alexandra Jane Burke Jamie Clayton Fernanda Cwiertnia Hassan Dajani María José Dearmas Jacqueline Douglas Jeremiah Dutch Jenny Galligan Dylan Gates Paolo Ghidini Maria Glazunova Carol Goodey Vilte Gridasova-Rusevičienė Nick Hamilton Anna Hasper Steven Herder Peter Holly Jancileidi Hübner Ruth Iida Henry Jones Dani Kabbani Elena Kapshutar Khanh-Duc Kuttig Anastasiia Lollo Clariana Lucas Anna Lyons Liz Mcfarland Stella Muntian Hang Nguyen Sandra Guadalupe Ojeda Chris Ożóg Sinalie Rithma Perera Vida Rahpeima Mahdi Ramezani Debora Rocha Chris Roland Valeria Russo Kevin Ryan Nadine Saassouh Barbara Sakamoto Maria Sampio Saeid Sarabi Asl Ally Victoria Shepherd Sam Shepherd Bruno Sousa Charlie Taylor Rachel Tsateri Kata Ujvarosi Zainab Undre Christopher Walker Marina Yesipenko Roslyn Young