Relevance of Linguistic Theories and Foreign Language Teaching

1. Relevance of Linguistic Theories and Foreign Language Teaching XU Lixin School of English and International Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University

2. Abstract Through a study of the linguistics background of some language teaching approaches and an investigation with postgraduates and linguistics-oriented teachers, the paper aims to argue against the weighting of linguistic theories in MA education and for an orientation in teaching.

3. Outline • I. Linguistic theories in foreign language teaching • II. Complex relationship between linguistic theories and language teaching • III. Explanations for the lack of usefulness of linguistics theories • IV. The Chinese reality • V. Surveys • VI. Conclusion and Suggestions

4. I. Linguistic theories in foreign language teaching • 1) structuralism • 2) mentalism • 3) functionalism • 4) interactional view

5. II. Complex relationship between linguistic theories and language teaching • Grammar translation method • Direct / Natural method; Berlitz Method • Oral approach / Situational Language Teaching: British structuralism, reflecting the functional trend in British linguistics • Audiolingual Method/ Aural-oral Approach: Structuralism + behaviorism: an important tenet: language is speech rather than writing. : • Cognitive code learning drawing heavily on Chomsky’s innateness hypotheses and creativity theory • Natural approach: focus on comprehension, meaningful input, and provision of appropriately comprehensible input; use TPR at the beginning • Communicative Language Teaching: an eclectic theoretical base:British functional linguistics, American sociolinguistics, language philosophy: strong version: use English to learn English; weak version: learn to use English • Total physical response (structuralism) • Silent way (structuralism) • Counseling-learning / Community language learning (an example of humanistic approach) (social process model of communication and international view of language) • Suggestopedia – no language theory can be pinned down (Richards and Rodgers 2000)

6. take – took in generative phonology, “took” is the zero form of /tuk/+-ed, or the /u/ form of /teik/+-ed • has taken: generative grammar: present tense + have +en+take, or –s+have+en+take.

7. Sociolinguistics • Pragmatics • Cognitive linguistics • Psycholinguistics

8. III. Explanations for the lack of usefulness of linguistics theories • External factors Overall environment, Atmosphere, Opportunities, Reinforcement/feedback • Internal factors Education authorities, School administrators, Teachers, Parents, Peers, Learners themselves Attitudes, Policies, Resources, Support, Competence, Personality, Intelligence, Intuition, Time

9. IV. The Chinese reality

10. V. Surveys • Relevance of linguistics to language teaching: Great 14 out of 21 Fair 1 Not much 4 Not sure 2

11. Attainment from linguistics: Great 9 Fair 7 Not much 5

12. Courses most useful to future language teaching • Research paper writing and evaluation 6 • Teaching methodology 6 • CALL 3 • SLA 2 • Grammar 3 • Phonetics 1 • Schools of western linguistics 1

13. Courses least useful • every course has its value: 10

14. Why apply for this program? • Famous and competent professors 15 • Learning research 5 • Aspiring for BFSU 5 • Learning linguistics 3 • Improving personal quality 2 • Most key teacher factor in good quality teaching

15. Pre-program and in-program relevance of linguistics to teaching Great – great 5 Fair 5 Little 1 Fair – great 1 Fair 3 Little – great 2 Fair 3 Not sure – great 1 15

16. Which linguistic theories or aspects of linguistics will be applied in your own teaching: • SLA 8 (innate hypothesis, teacher as mediator,) • Teaching methodology 3 (student-centered) • Educational theories 2 (social control theory, constructionism) • CALL 2 • Morphology (to help with vocabulary building and memorization) • Pragmatics 2 • Contrastive linguistics • Never thought of this • Hard to say 2 • Don’t know 4

17. Survey 2 • Frontline English teachers 88 • Linguistics teachers 14: 16% • linguistics teachers awarded (2006) 5 : 14.2% • linguistics teachers awarded (2007) 3 : 8.6% • Total No. of teachers awarded 35

18. VI. Conclusion and Suggestions • incorporate linguistic theories in the training of other Language and Literature majors • complement their linguistic studies with courses in related areas • have the applied linguistics component and emphasize the social, functional, and cognitive side of language studies and relevance to language teaching

19. a language nature/view theory • aspects of linguistic theories • language use • language learning theories (psychology, psycholinguistics, teaching and learning theories and methodology and learner individual differences)

20. Appendix调查问卷 • 您的性别（男 女） 年龄________ 教龄________ 教学对象___________ • 您觉得语言学对英语教学的意义和作用有多大？_______________________ • 到目前为止，您所学语言学课程收获大吗？___________________________ • 到目前为止，您觉得收获最大、对您从事英语教学最有用处的课是_______________________________ ，因为___________________________ • 到目前为止，您觉得收获最小、对您从事英语教学最没用处的课是_________________ ，因为_________________________________________。 • 您当初选择北外、教育研究中心、这个专业的MA program的初衷是_________________________________________________________________（比如：容易考、撞大运、向往北外、向往外教研中心、中心有大腕、热爱语言学、热爱英语教学） • 您认为要想教学效果优异、教师自己也有收获，最关键的因素是_________________________________________________________________ • 您认为学生要想学好英语课程、提高英语能力，作为教师，应具备的最关键因素是__________________________________________________________ • 您进入MA program之前，认为语言学与教学的关系是：__________________ • 如今经过硕士课程学习，您认为语言学对教学的贡献应该（1很大 2有些帮助 3没有帮助任何帮助），因为________________________________________________________________。 • 您对中心任课教师的评价是_______________________________，因为________________________________________________________________。 • 您以后准备应用语言学的什么理论用于教学？________________________因为___________________________________________________________。