Learning space with Luke Meddings
The how, when and why of Dogme teaching
Why: Together we’ll trace the trajectory of ELT methodology over the past 50 years, including the role of Dogme and other ‘experimental’ approaches; consider how learning needs have evolved; and explore the benefits and the challenges of unplugging in our own teaching contexts.
When: We’ll discuss our experience of responsive teaching at different times, in different schools and in different classes; we’ll consider where the space for unplugged is in our own practice, and how to make the most of it.
How: We’ll do some classic unplugged tasks together and work on the emergent language; we’ll see how meaningful, motivating classroom content can be derived from everyday life; you’ll work on your own unplugged tasks and lesson design, and have the chance to try them out with your peers; and we’ll explore how unplugged practice can co-exist and flourish in the wider teaching context.
Led by Luke Meddings, award-winning author, international speaker and co-founder of Dogme ELT. Luke co-wrote Teaching Unplugged with Scott Thornbury (2009), and has trained extensively on the approach since then. Dogme in Practice, another collaboration with Scott Thornbury, appeared in 2025.
This is a course for anyone who wants to teach more responsively, focus on language at the point of need, and collaborate with their students on content creation.
Luke Meddings was born in London in 1965, and grew up in East Sussex, England. He graduated from Oxford University in 1987 and trained as an ELT teacher at International House, Piccadilly, before working at Frances King School of English.
After a two-year spell as Deputy Editor of the EL Gazette he co-founded Lilian Bishop School of English, an experimental language school in London where he was able to put ideas derived from his teaching and journalism into practice – in particular the realisation that most people were now coming to the UK not ‘for’ English, to learn it from scratch, but ‘with’ English, to use and improve it.
In 2000 he co-founded the Dogme in ELT movement with Scott Thornbury, and contributed a column and blog on the subject for the Guardian.
Luke and Scott published Teaching Unplugged with Delta in 2009, and the book won a British Council ELTon Award for Innovation in 2010.
Luke has trained extensively since then, giving talks and short courses in Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and the UK.
Dogme in Practice, another collaboration with Scott Thornbury compiling teacher narratives from around the world, was published by iTDi in 2025.
