Applied Linguistics & Language Teaching

Presented By:Farhad M. Rajab (20145018)

Advanced Studies in Applied Linguistics Course (ELT601)

Cyprus International University/ Cyprus Spring Semester / 2015

Applied Linguistics & Language Teaching

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• “I know English?”

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• “I know English?”– identifying individual sounds correctly.– Knowing the combinations of sounds. – Knowing the formation and division of words. – Combination of words at sentence level.– Decoding all above system: understanding the meanings of words,

phrases, sentences.– Using language in communicative context.– Knowing a language means having moderate level of speaking

and listening's skills. And also expressing ideas in written mode. – converting speech into writing.

• Therefore, the use of language is an integral part of human being.

• Children all over the world start putting words together at approximately the same age, and follow remarkably similar paths in their speech development.

• All languages are similar in their basic structure, whether they are in Africa, Austria, Turkey…

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This presentation gives a special emphasis to the influence of applied linguistics on

English language and discusses the relation between linguistics and language teaching

Dealing with the Topic ( Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching) such questions are

raised:

1) Can Applied Linguistics have a positive impact on language teachers ?

2) Is language teaching considered to be a practical or theoretical task?

3) What are the major focuses of Applied Linguistics in language teaching?

4) What is the relation of Linguistics & Applied Linguistics to Language Teaching?

5) What is the role of Applied Linguistics in the Teaching of English?

• Many resent researches concerned with applied linguistics have led to a phenomenon to resolve language problems in general and in particular English language. In general, language phenomenon is complex.

• Finegan and Besiner defined language as a finite system of elements and principles that make it possible for speakers to construct sentences to do particular communicative jobs.

• Brumfit, defined applied linguistics such as “the theoretical and empirical investigation of real- world problems in which language is a central issue.”

• Grabe used the term of applied linguistics as an emerging

discipline.

• Human language is such a complex phenomena, as there is no one comprehensive theory about human language.

• on the other hand, applied linguistics is an integrative activity,

the insights acquired from the different approaches to the study of language and have to be drawn together, reconciled and used to make the acquisition of a knowledge efficient, useful, and pleasant task.

• So, the history of English Language Teaching is linked with developments in many fields and especially with linguistics, applied linguistics, the psychology of learning and education.

linguists’ perspectives in AL & Language Teaching Titone emphasized that there have been two basic positions held

in English language teaching : a ) Form-focused teaching which emphasizes the teaching of the rules of grammar, structures, the development of vocabulary and the sounds of language.

b) Meaning–focused teaching which emphasizes language use, communication or fluency and appropriacy of expression in different situations.

Corder argued that applied linguistics was a collection of applications of linguistics at various levels to determine precisely the constrains of language teaching operation.

Cook and Wei mentioned that applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of research and practice dealing with practical problems of language and communication that can be identified, analyzed, or solved by applying available theories, methods or results of linguistics.

Wilkins pointed out that linguistics can be more directly applied in

language teaching, such as in the teaching program and in the preparation of the teaching material of all kinds that can be used in the classroom.


• What do people think we they heard about the word “Teaching”?

Q: What do people think of when they heard about (teaching)? Or What is (Teaching Operation) ?

People think that TEACHING is something which goes in the classroom, where the teacher meets face to face with his pupils and teachers know this is only their job. While much of other things are going to be done outside the classroom such as planning lessons, correcting, assessing, progress, discussing with colleagues, selecting and producing textbook and teaching materials. All of these are called Teaching Operation. But Language Teaching is more than this.

Language Teaching is an art rather than a scientific process . Language Teaching is not only a practical activity in the planning and

implementation but it covers other practical tasks such as data retrieval, mechanical translation, and interpreting.

Having some general principles is better than having none. Processing needs instructions to be followed. Good teachers possess a set of principles which guide their work as teaching.


• Is language teaching a practical or theoretical task?

- EXAMPLE:Someone is trying to bake a rich fruit cake for the first time, he would have no alternative but to follow the instructions in the recipe precisely and in every detail, even then the cake might not turn out a success because the beginner might be working under conditions which were not exactly those presupposed in the instructions. Just like the novice teachers when they start their job of teaching their should be relevant general principles to allow them to adjust or vary their approach appropriately.

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• All these activities need to be done with decisions making. Decisions about how to present and practise in the classroom certain aspects of the language are chosen.

• AL is considered with the identification and analysis of certain class problems which arise in the setting up , carrying out of language teaching programs and answering certain sorts of questions that arise in the course of planning.

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The Nature of Applied Linguistics

Applied Linguistics itself may be seen as an autonomous, problem-solving discipline, concerned broadly with language education and language problems in society.

Brumfit, defined applied linguistics such as “the theoretical and empirical investigation of real- world problems in which language is a central issue.”

Corder defined applied linguistics as a set of related activities or techniques mediating the various theoretical accounts of human language on the one hand and the practical activities of language teaching on the other.


• Burns (2009) stated that applied linguistics mean taking language and language theories as the basis to:

Explain how communication is carried out in real life

Analyze them in order to draw out practical insights and implications that are useful

Identify problematic or challenging issues involving language

• The main sub-fields of Applied Linguistics:A. Language acquisitionB. Teaching and learning languagesC. Improving teaching methodologyD. Improving syllabuses



Teacher training and educationDevelopments in training and supervision methods.Materials developmentTeaching methods and techniquesTesting and assessmentResearch on second/foreign language development.First language education.Description of the language itself.Educational evaluation.Language culture.

Major focuses of Applied Linguistics

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• Linguistics, as the science of language, should be of fundamental importance for teachers of language.

i.e. Linguistic knowledge helps teachers to better explain the specific language items they teach.

e.g. According to Jo McDonough, a teacher who is able to explain some linguistic features would have a stronger position than one who handles the argument by using authority.

-Both linguistics and language teaching takes language as their subject.

Linguistics tries to answer the basic questions

• What is language?• How does language work?• What do all languages have in common?• What range of variation is found among languages?• How does human language differ from animal

communication?• How does a child learn to speak?• How does one write down and analyse an unwritten

language?• Why do languages change?• To what extent are social class differences reflected in

languge?


- The bridge between linguistics and language teaching is applied linguistics.

- The linguist must make descriptions of different languages in order to test the validity of his theories to see if his theoretical predictions about human language are borne out in fact or not

- It is a characteristic of AL that the practical problems with which it attempts to deal can rarely if ever be solved by reference to one theoretical approach to language alone.

i.e. Linguistics theories influence our general orientation in approaches to language teaching.

• The acquisition of adequate descriptions of the languages, dialects and verities of language involved in the practical activity with which the applied linguistics is concerned is his first task.

• the relation between Linguistics and language teaching is necessary, from of this point of view, Taylor pointed out that “some specific linguistics knowledge is required by the language teacher-for assessment, for choosing learning activities. for course planning and design.”

• Halliday mentioned that the principle contribution of linguistics to language teaching is to provide a revealing description of the language being taught.

Conclusion• Language is a means of communication, thoughts and feelings.

• Applied linguistics is often said to be concerned with solving or at least ameliorating social problems involving language.

• Applied linguistics can have a positive impact on language teachers and has potential for a much greater impact if problems of transfer can be addressed.

• Applied linguistics helps teachers to produce better learning experiences and more sophisticated and complex view of language teachers’ knowledge, knowledge acquisition, and into knowledge use which takes account the insights from research in these areas.