Language, Language Learning and Teaching Methhod

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Language, Language Learning and Teaching
Methhod

• Hangzhou Normal University
• Liu Qixuan

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• Learning points
• View of language
• View of learning
• Teaching
• Framework of language teaching method

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I. View of Language
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Questions

• How do we usually learn things?
• How do you know that plum is sour?
• How do we usually learn languages?
• How do children learn their mother tongue?
• How do we learn the second langaugeEnglish?

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What is language?A number of definitions about
language
Brown, 20076
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Three views about the nature of language

• structural view of language
• The structural view of language sees
  language as a linguistic system made up of
  various subsystems (Larsen-freeman and Long,
  1991)
• This system includes
• --- phonological units (phonemes)
• --- grammatical units (phrases, clauses,
  sentences)
• --- grammatical operations (adding, shifting,
  joining or
• transforming elements)
• --- lexical items (function words and
  structure words)

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structural view of language
The areas of research in this view of language 
--- linguistic analysis ---textual discourse
analysis Target of language learning --- the
mastery of elements of this system. Methods
based on this view ---The Audiolingual method
---Total Physical Response --- the Silent Way

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2. The communicative / functional view of
language
The communicative, or functional view of
language is the view that language is a vehicle
for the expression of functional meaning. The
semantic and communicative dimensions of language
are more emphasized than the grammatical
characteristics, although these are also
included. Areas of research ---
sociolinguistics --- pragmatics ---
semantics
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2. The communicative / functional view of
language
Target of language learning  --- to learn to
express communication functions and categories of
meaning Approaches and methods based on this
view   ---communicative approaches ---
functional-notional syllabuses --- The
Natural Approach
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3. The interactional view of language
The interactional view of language sees
language primarily as the means for establishing
and maintaining interpersonal relationships and
for performing social transactions between
individuals. Areas of research ---
interactional analysis ---conversational
analysis --- ethnomethodology
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The interactional view of language
Target of language learning  --- learning to
initiate and maintain conversations with
other people. Approaches and methods based on
this view  --- Strategic interaction ---
communicative approaches
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• ???????????????????????????
• 1.?????????????????????????
• -Hunmboldt ???????????
• -Stendhal ??????????????????????????????????
• 2.???????????????????
• -Sapir ?????????????????????????????????????
• -Lenin ??????????????
• 3.?????????????
• -Saussure ?????????????
• -Hjemslev ????????,????????????????
• 4.?????????????????????????
• -Chomsky ???????,????????????
• 5.??????????????(??????????????) (???,1999
  ??????? M???????????)
• -Meillet ????????????
• (?????????????2001 ?3 ?(??8 ?)
  ??????????,???)

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II. Language Learning and learning in general
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Brown breaks down learning into the following
components
Brown, 20079
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Four views

• . Behaviorist theory
• . Cognitive theory
• . Constructivist theory
• . Socio-constructivist theory

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1. First view

• Behaviorist theory
• .

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John Wastons behaviorism 1913 "Psychology as
a Behaviorist Views It" ( Psychological Review. )
Here, he outlined the behaviorist program
. 1914 Behaviorism  An Introduction to
comparative Psychology. 
1878-1958
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Ivan Pavlov 1849-1946
Stimulus Response Learning
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Thorndikes Trial Error S-R Learning
1874-1949
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Skinners behaviorism Learning happens through
S R R
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• Learning is the form of behavior
• which can be observed. Learning
• happens through stimulus and
• response.

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Behaviorist theories of learning seek
scientific, demonstrable explanations for simple
behaviors. For these reasons, and since humans
are considered to resemble machines, behaviorist
explanations tend to be somewhat mechanical in
nature. "They make use of one or both of two
principal classes of explanations for learning
those based on contiguity (simultaneity of
stimulus and response events) and those based on
the effects of behavior (reinforcement and
punishment)" (Lefrancois 198829).
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• Behaviorists believe that by presenting
• the right stimulus and providing reinforcement
• one can learn any response. This change in
• response is seen as learning. The role of the
• teacher is to direct the classroom and be active
• in reinforcement, maximizing interaction and
• feedback with students.

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2. Second view

• Cognitive theory
• .

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Cognitivism focuses on an unobservable
change in mental knowledge, trying to discover
psychological principles of organization and
functioning. Cognitivism came about as a
rejection of the behaviorist views.
Psychologists believed that mental events, or
cognitivism, could no longer be ignored.

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• Chomskys theory
• Language is not a form of behavior, it is
  an intricate rule-based system and a large part
  of language acquisition is the learning of this
  system.
• He produced the ideas of
• LAD and UG

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• Language is innate. A large
• part of acquisition happens
• because of the rule-based system
• existing in ones mind. The UG in
• peoples mind makes the possibility
• of the production of language.

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General Assumptions of Cognitive Theories
-Some learning processes may be unique to human
beings. -Cognitive processes are the focus of
study. -Objective, systematic observations of
people's behavior should be the focus of
scientific inquiry, however, inferences about
unobservable mental processes can often be drawn
from such behavior. -Individuals are
actively involved in the learning process.
-Learning involves the formation of menatal
assocaitions that are not necessarily
reflected in overt behavior changes. -Knowledge
is organized. -Learning is a process of relating
new information to previously learned
innformation.
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General Educational Implications of Cognitive
Theories
-Cognitive processes influence learning. -As
children grow, they become capable of
increasingly more sophisticated thought. -People
organize the things they learn. -New information
is most easily acquired when people can
associate it with things they have already
learned. -People control their own learning.
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• Cognitivists believe learning happens
• when one processes information. People
• structure information into schema, a
• network of thoughts and ideas. As new
• information is presented, it is assimilated
• or causes a restructuring of the network.

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Key Concepts of Cognitive Theory

• Schema
• Three-Stage Information Processing Model
• ---sensory register
• -- Short-term memory
• --Long-Term Memory and Storage
• Meaningful Effects
• Serial Position Effects
• Practice Effects
• Transfer Effects
• Interference Effects.
• Organization Effects.
• Levels of Processing Effects
• State Dependent Effects
• Mnemonic Effects
• Schema Effects
• Advance Organizers
• 
  

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3. Third view

• Constructivist theory
• .

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Constructivist theory

• - Learning is a process in which meaning
  construction is based on learners experiences
  and what the learner already knows.
• - The goal of education is to develop
  learners mind not the ability of rote recall.
• - Teaching should be based on what learners
  already learn and get learners actively involved
  in learning.

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• Behaviorism treats the organism as a black
  box ?
• Cognitive theory recognises the importance
  of the mind in
• making sense of the material with which it is
  presented. It also
• presupposes that the role of the learner is
  primarily to
• assimilate whatever the teacher presents.
• Constructivism,particularly in its "social
  forms,uggests
• that the learner is much more actively involved
  in a joint
• enterprise with the teacher of creating
  ("constructing") new
• meanings.

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4. Fourth view

• Social-constructivist theory
• .

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Social-constructivist theory

• - emphasizes the dynamic interaction in the
  classroom
• - It is based on the concept
• of ZPD ("Zone of Proximal
• Development)" and
• scaffolding
• (Vygotsky).

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III. Teaching and the framework of teaching
method
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Teaching
to satisfy the practical demands of
education, theories of learning must be stood on
their head so as to yield theories of teaching.
( Nathan Gage) Teaching is guiding and
facilitating learning, enabling the learners to
learn, setting the conditions for learning. Your
understanding of how the learner learns will
determine your phylosophy of education, your
teaching style, your approach, methods and
classroom techniques. (Brown, H. D, 20027-8)

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Teaching
Language teaching can be defined as the
activities which are intended to bring about
language learning. (Stern, H.
H., 199921) Since language teaching
is defined as activities intended to bring about
language learning, a theory of language teaching
always implies concerns of language learning.

(Stern. H. H, 199921

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• Teaching methods answer the questions
• What is the purpose of education?
• And what are the best ways of achieving these
  purposes?".

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The framework of language teaching method

Richards, Rodgers, 2001
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• Approach defines those foundational
  assumptions, beliefs, and theories about the
  nature of language and language learning. Design
  specifies the relationships of theories to both
  the form and use of instructional materials.
  Procedure comprises classroom techniques and
  practices consequent upon particular approaches
  and designs. The discussion is in three parts

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Approach

• A theory of the nature of language
• --an account of the nature of language
  proficiency
• --an account of the basic units of language
  structure
• A theory of the nature of language learning
• --an account of the psycholinguistic and
  cognitive processes involved in language learning
  
• --and account of the condition that allow for
  successful use of these processes

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Design

• a. The general and specific objectives of the
  method
• b. syllabus model
• --criteria for the selection and organization of
  linguistic / or subject-matter content
• c. Types of learning and teaching activities
• --kinds of tasks and practice activities to be
  employed in the classroom and in materials
• d. learner roll
• -- types of learning tasks set for learners
• -- degree of control learners have over the
  content of learning
• -- patterns of learner groupings that are
  recommended or implied
• -- degree to which learners influence the
  learning of others
• -- the view of the learner as a processor,
  performer, initiator, problem solver, etc.
• e. Teacher roles
• -- types of functions teachers fulfill
• -- degree of teacher influence over learning
• -- degree to which the teacher determines the
  content of learning
• -- types of interaction between teachers and
  learners
• f. the role of instructional materials
• -- primary function of materials
• -- the form materials take (e. g. , textbooks,
  audiovisual)

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Procedure

• Classroom techniques, practices, and behaviors
  observed when the method is used
• -- resources in terms of time, space, and
  equipment used by the teacher
• -- interactional patterns observed in lesson
• --tactics and strategies used by teachers and
  learners when the method is being used

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• A method is theoretically related to
  approach, is organizationally determined by
  design and is practically realized through
  procedure.
• 
  
  
• 
  
  (Richards Rodgers, 2001)

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Major References

• Brown,H. D. 2002. Principles of Language Learning
  and Teaching. ????????????
• Richards, J. C. T. S. Rodgers. 2001. Approaches
  and Methods in Language Teaching. (2nd edition).
  Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
• ???. ?????????????????????2001 ?3 ?(??8 ?)
• ???. 1999 . ?????? M. ?????????
• ??. 2006. ???????(?2?)M. ?????????,2006
• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .
  http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language.
  

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