Language, Language Learning and Teaching Methhod

1. Language, Language Learning and Teaching Methhod Hangzhou Normal University Liu Qixuan

2. Learning points: View of language View of learning Teaching Framework of language teaching method

3. I. View of Language

4. 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 langauge—English?

5. What is language?A number of definitions about language Brown, 2007:6

6. 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) Three views about the nature of language

7. 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 structural view of language

8. 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 2. The communicative / functional view of language

9. 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 2. The communicative / functional view of language

10. 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 3. The interactional view of language

11. Target of language learning --- learning to initiate and maintain conversations with other people. Approaches and methods based on this view --- Strategic interaction --- communicative approaches The interactional view of language

12. 自洪堡特以来的有些著名语言学家和哲学家给语言所下的定义:自洪堡特以来的有些著名语言学家和哲学家给语言所下的定义: 1．从语言与人类精神活动的关系来认识语言的本质特征的。 －Hunmboldt :语言是构成思想的工具。 －Stendhal :语言……是对意识到的内部的、心理的和精神的运动、状态和关系的有声的表达。 2．从语言的功能的监督出发来对语言下定义的： －Sapir :语言是利用任意产生的符号体系来表达思想感情和愿望的人类特有的非本能的方法。 －Lenin :语言是人类最重要的交际工具。 3．从语言的结构特征来下定义的： －Saussure :语言是表达思想的符号体系。 －Hjemslev :语言是……纯关系结构,……是不依赖于实际表现的形式或公式。 4．从语言的心理和认知基础的角度来认识语言的本质特征的： －Chomsky :语言是一种能力,是人脑中一种特有的机制。 5．从语言的社会属性来理解语言的(蚕茧兹维金采夫《普通语言学纲要》) （束定芳,1999 。《现代外语教学》[ M]。上海外语教育出版社。） －Meillet :语言毫无疑问是社会现象。 （来源：山东师大外国语学院学报2001 第3 期(总第8 期) 语言的本质与外语教学，李吉全）

13. II. Language Learning and learning in general

14. Brown breaks down learning into the following components: Brown, 2007:9

15. Four views . Behaviorist theory . Cognitive theory . Constructivist theory . Socio-constructivist theory

16. 1. First view Behaviorist theory .

17. John Waston’s 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

18. Ivan Pavlov1849-1946 Stimulus –Response Learning

19. Thorndike’s Trial & Error S-R Learning 1874-1949

20. Skinner’s behaviorism Learning happens through : S –R –R

21. Learning is the form of behavior which can be observed. Learning happens through stimulus and response.

22. 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 1988:29).

23. 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.

24. 2. Second view Cognitive theory .

25. 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.

26. Chomsky’s 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

27. Language is innate. A large part of acquisition happens because of the rule-based system existing in one’s mind. The UG in people’s mind makes the possibility of the production of language.

28. －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. General Assumptions of Cognitive Theories

29. －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. General Educational Implications of Cognitive Theories

30. 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.

31. 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

32. 3. Third view Constructivist theory .

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

34. 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.

35. 4. Fourth view Social-constructivist theory .

36. 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).

37. III. Teaching and the framework of teaching method

38. “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, 2002:7-8) Teaching

39. “Language teaching can be defined as the activities which are intended to bring about language learning.”(Stern, H. H., 1999:21) “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, 1999:21 Teaching

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

41. Method design approach procedure approaches are language teaching philosophies that can be interpreted and applied in a variety of different ways in the classroom. The framework of language teaching method Richards, & Rodgers, 2001

42. 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

43. 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

44. 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) --relation of materials to other input -- assumptions made about teachers and learning

45. 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

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

48. Major References Brown，H. D. 2002. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社 Richards, J. C. & T. S. Rodgers. 2001. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. (2nd edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 李吉全. 语言的本质与外语教学山东师大外国语学院学报2001 第3 期(总第8 期) 束定芳. 1999 . 现代外语教学[ M]. 上海外语教育出版社 王蔷. 2006. 英语教学法教程（第2版）[M]. 北京：高等教育出版社，2006 Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language.