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ELT in Images – the guru

Monday 6 July 2009

Guru

The definition I found for guru reads like this: “a person who other people respect and go to for advice about a particular subject”. In the particular subject of English Language Teaching, where would we be without our gurus? The term is certainly used a lot. And not only in ELT, either. Other frequent “gurus” seem to pop up in the world of economics (a financial guru) and technology (web gurus).

Why do you think we invoke this image? Who are the gurus in ELT and how did they become gurus? Does this image have negative connotations as well, both for the guru and the people who follow him/her? Should we be thinking beyond gurus or do they serve a useful purpose?

4 responses to ELT in Images – the guru

Patrick Jackson says:

July 6, 2009 at 9:24 am

Six uses for gurus:

1. Book-ends (only in the case of larger books or smaller gurus).
2. Top gurus will emit a gentle humming sound. This masks unwanted appliance noise or the noise emitted by your neighbours’ gurus.
3. Eco-friendly pot-scrubs. Bearded gurus only.
4. Babysitting. They don’t charge much or care what time you get back although they will frown at raucousness and especially dislike the clatter of stilletoes.
5. Truly enlightened gurus can be used as nightlights for children’s bedrooms. Due to fire hazard ensure they don’t come in contact with a curtain or other fabric furnishings.
6. A plumper guru in the lotus position can be tipped over onto its forehead and used as a comfortable stool.

Reply
Karenne Sylvester says:

July 6, 2009 at 10:31 am

I had my fingers slapped this year for referring to one of my gurus as one of my gurus. I sat there in front of the computer screen a wee bit shocked – I like the word guru.

For me it implies wisdom and a willingness to share that wisdom so that others may too reach guru-dom.

xxK

Reply
Leahn says:

July 7, 2009 at 9:43 am

As a newly qualified teacher a long, long time ago I definitely had ELT gurus. Harmer was a biggie I remember searching frantivcally for answers in The Practice of English Language Teaching. Then in the 90s I had a thing for Lewis Lexical guy. I think ELT gurus change… I used love Rinvolucri.,(spelling) then I had a thing about Penny Ur.. I am fickle over the years I have affiliated with different gurus.

Reply
Lindsay Clandfield says:

July 12, 2009 at 6:35 pm

First of all, sorry it took me awhile to get these comments approved! I was away from a computer and I thought they would automatically be approved so… my apologies.

Secondly, thanks for the comments. Leahn, you can rest assured that Harmer and Lewis and Rinvolucri are still named by many of my trainees on various courses as huge influences and yes, the word guru is used about them still.

Karenne, I like your idea that it doesn’t have negative connotations, many people say “guru” with a sneer…

Patrick, I like the quirkiness of your comment – it goes with the image in a way. Or maybe it’s just because I was attracted by the list of six things…

Reply

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