What is emergent language, and why is it becoming increasingly relevant to the ELT classroom?
In this special episode of Talking ELT, emergent language experts Danny Norrington-Davis and Richard Chinn join Andrew Dilger and Ed Dudley to explain the concept and how these moments of spontaneous, unplanned language that appear organically in the classroom often lead to some of the most powerful learning opportunities.
The conversation explores what emergent language is, how it differs from target language, and its connection to the Dogme movement in ELT. It also looks at why these moments matter for engagement and motivation, and shares examples from real lessons along with practical ways to make the most of them.
Whether this concept is new or familiar, this episode offers fresh insights and ideas to deepen understanding of how language learning really happens.