Michael Swan is a writer of

English language teaching English as a second or foreign language refers to the use of English language, English by individuals whose native language is different, commonly among students learning to speak and write English. Variably known as English as a foreign lang ...

and reference materials. He graduated from

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

with a bachelor's degree in modern foreign languages and has later gone for a postgraduate research degree. He is the founder of Swan School of English.

Biography

Major publications include '' Practical English Usage'' and ''Basic English Usage'' (Oxford University Press). Other books are ''Grammar'', an introductory book on why languages need grammar and what they do with it and, with David Baker, ''Grammar Scan'' (Oxford University Press), a collection of diagnostic language tests. Michael Swan is also the co-author, with Catherine Walter, of ''The Oxford English Grammar Course'', of ''How English Works'' and ''The Good Grammar Book'' (all with

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

), and the ''New Cambridge English Course'' series (with

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...

). In 2012 the Advanced level of the ''Oxford English Grammar Course'' won the newly established Award in English Language Teaching (ELT) Writing, conferred by the British Council in collaboration with The (UK) Society of Authors. Michael Swan's interests include pedagogic grammar,

mother-tongue A first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongue'' refers ...

influence in

second language acquisition Second-language acquisition (SLA), sometimes called second-language learning—otherwise referred to as L2 (language 2) acquisition, is the process of learning a language other than one's native language (L1). SLA research examines how learners ...

, and the relationship between applied linguistic theory and classroom language-teaching practice. He has written articles on all these topics, and is known for influential articles on the communicative approach and on task-based learning. Michael Swan is also a widely published poet. His poems have been published in several poetry magazines such as ''Acumen'' and '' The Frogmore Papers'', as well as in the ''

BBC Wildlife ''BBC Wildlife'' is a British glossy, all-colour magazine about wildlife, operated and published by Immediate Media Company. It produces 13 issues a year. ''BBC Wildlife'' was launched in January 1963 as ''Animals Magazine'', edited by filmmaker ...

'' magazine. His collection ''When They Come For You'' was published by The Frogmore Press in 2003, and his second collection ''The Shapes of Things'' was published by Oversteps Books in 2011. In 2005 he won ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

Stephen Spender Prize for poetry translation with his translation from the German of a section of Rilke's "Orpheus. Eurydice. Hermes". He won

The Poetry Society The Poetry Society is a membership organisation, open to all, whose stated aim is "to promote the study, use and enjoyment of poetry". The society was founded in London in February 1909 as the Poetry Recital Society, becoming the Poetry Society ...

's 2010 Stanza Poetry Competition, with his poem "I Wasn't There".

References

External links

Michael Swan's home page

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swan, Michael Linguists of English Living people English male poets Year of birth missing (living people)