Alan Maley

Alan Maley's name has, for decade after decade, been almost synonymous with humanism in language teaching. Whether as a teacher, speaker, author, or leader, he has stood out through his wisdom, through his way of relating to others, and above all, through his commitment to his beliefs about teaching and learning.

Alan first came to prominence during his posting to the then republic of Yugoslavia, where he struck up productive relationships with other expat practitioners posted there, among them Alan Duff, with whom he went on to co-writ some very influential books for teachers such as The Mind's Eye (also with Françoise Grellet), Drama Techniques and The Inward Ear. Like so many of his publications, the focus was on fostering creativity in language classrooms and on encouraging teachers to look beyond the limits imposed by textbooks, and curriculum and examination requirements, in order to motivate learners to express themselves and to enjoy learning. This has become something of a crusade for him over many years, aimed at benignly undermining the conventions of orthodox methodologies and the hegemony of exam boards and 'mainstream' publishing houses by placing learning and learners at the center of the educational process. He has done this through countless articles in most major ELT journals and through his always engaging presentations at conferences and other professional events.

Alan has held teaching posts and senior positions with the British Council in a number of countries, including France, Italy, Ghana, China and India. After leaving the Council he worked in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. In the UK, he was also Director General of the Bell Educational Trust for five years in the 1980s. In all of these places, we won the respect of local colleagues and left his mark on the ELT community. But on these travels, he was also constantly picking up ideas through engagement with fellow professionals and others, something which is evident in the creative work which is so close to his heart. In his poems and stories, as well as in his talks and interactions with others, there is a rich vein of intercultural awareness and deep respect for the people he has encountered and worked with. He has always enjoyed working closely with others, and many of his publications are co-authored.

He has always tried to use the influence that these posts have given him to inspire others, to further the cause of humanism in language teaching, of environmental concerns, and of creativity. This was particularly evident during and after his term as President of IATEFL, and his subsequent commitment to the Global Issues Special Interest Group and to the fostering of the C Group and, more recently, the Worlds into Words creative writing group. His Place in HLT Digital is a testament to this career-long commitment to humanism.