Jack C. Richards


Jack Croft Richards is an applied linguist from New Zealand, specializing in second and foreign language education, teacher training, and materials design. He is the grandson of the New Zealand organ builder George Croft.
He has written numerous articles and books. Most of his books and articles are in the field of second language teaching and have been translated into many different languages. He was appointed full professor in the Department of English as a Second Language at the University of Hawaii in 1981 and later served as full professor in universities in Hong Kong and New Zealand.

Education

He earned a Master of Arts with first-class honours in English from Victoria University of Wellington in 1966 and a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from Laval University in 1972.

Career

Richards began his career in Southeast Asia, teaching in Indonesia after completing his doctorate. He then joined Singapore’s Regional Language Centre as a specialist in applied linguistics, supported by the New Zealand government.
In the late 1970s, he moved to Chinese University of Hong Kong, before being appointed full professor in the Department of English as a Second Language at the University of Hawai in 1981.
In 1989, he returned to Hong Kong to establish and lead the new Department of English at City University of Hong Kong as chair professor. In 1996, Richards established a master's program in English at the University of Auckland. He retired from full-time appointments in 1999, after which he continued to teach workshops at RELC Singapore, and Sydney University, and Victoria University as an honorary or adjunct professor.
Richards is a author and educator, with over 150 books and articles to his name. His landmark works include Error Analysis, a foundational early text in research and pedagogy in second-language acquisition. He is also the author  and co-author of many widely used textbooks for learners of English including the best-selling series Interchange which has sold more than 50 million copies world-wide.
In applied linguistics his co-authored Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching is now in its third edition, and The Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics reached its fourth edition in 2010.
Richards’s other influential publications include The Language Teaching Matrix, Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms, and Curriculum Development in Language Teaching.
He has also contributed to and edited major volumes such as Language Learning Beyond the Classroom and The Cambridge Guide to Pedagogy and Practice in Language Teaching, Curriculum Development in Language Teaching, Key Issues in Language Teaching, and Teaching and Learning in English Medium Instruction.
In 2011, Victoria University of Wellington awarded him an honorary Doctor of Literature degree for his contributions to English language teaching and the arts.
That same year, he was appointed honorary professor at the University of Sydney; in 2014, he received the Award for Patronage from the Arts Foundation of New Zealand and became honorary professor at the University of Auckland.
During its 50th anniversary in 2016, TESOL International recognized Richards as one of "50 at 50", identifying him among the most influential language-teaching specialists of the prior fifty years.

Research and scholarship

Richards is internationally known for his contributions to applied linguistics, particularly in second language acquisition, language teaching methodology, curriculum development, and teacher education. Over five decades, his work has shaped both academic discourse and classroom practice in English language teaching worldwide.
His early research on error analysis, including Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second Language Acquisition, was influential in the study of learner errors and interlanguage development. Among his most widely cited works is Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, a standard text in teacher education now in its third edition.
Richards has also advanced the concept of reflective teaching through works such as Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms, Beyond Training, and Professional Development for Language Teachers.
In curriculum studies, Richards emphasized structured but flexible design, outlined in The Language Teaching Matrix and Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. His lexicographic contributions include co-authoring the Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. More recent collaborations, such as The Cambridge Guide to Pedagogy and Practice in Language Teaching and Language Learning Beyond the Classroom, examine evolving pedagogies and learning contexts.
Richards has also promoted creativity in language teaching, encouraging student-centered and open-ended tasks. Beyond linguistics, he is active in philanthropy, funding grants and scholarships in applied linguistics, music, and the arts, and has published on his decorative arts collection in Lalique Vases: The New Zealand Collection of Dr. Jack C. Richards.

Awards

In 2011 he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Literature by Victoria University, Wellington, in respect of his impacts to English language teaching and the arts.
In 2011, Richards was made an honorary professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Sydney, Australia.
In 2014, Richards was made an honorary professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Also in 2014, Richards received the prestigious Award for Patronage 2014, by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, acknowledging his support for music and the arts.

Selected publications

Books

  • Richards, J. C.. Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.
  • Nunan, D., & Richards, J. C.. Language Learning Beyond the Classroom . Routledge.
  • Richards, J. C.. Key Issues in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.
  • Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S.. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching . Cambridge University Press.
  • Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W.. Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. Routledge.
  • Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A.. Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice. Cambridge University Press.

Classroom Texts & Series

  • 2019. Four Corners. 2nd edition. Levels 1,2,3,4.
  • 2017. Interchange. 5th edition. Levels 1,2,3
  • 2012. Speak Now.. Levels 1,2,3.
  • 2011. Tactics for Listening.. 3rd edition
  • 2004. Connect.

Articles

  • Sadeghi, K., Richards, J. C., & Ghaderi, F.. Perceived versus Measured Teaching Effectiveness: Does Teacher Proficiency Matter? RELC Journal, 51, 280–293. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688219845933
  • Richards, J. C., & Wilson, O.. On Transidentitying. RELC Journal, 50, 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688218824780
  • Richards, J. C.. The Changing Face of Language Learning: Learning Beyond the Classroom. RELC Journal, 46, 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688214561621