An Overview of Applied Linguistics

1. An Overview of Applied Linguistics By Lec. Pang Samarnh

2. What is Applied Linguistics? • Though the term "applied linguistics" has traditionally been associated with the scientific study of such areas as TESOL, TEFL, TESL, language teaching and learning, applied linguists do a variety of things: The basic idea is, as the definition implies, to contribute to the real-world issues. 

3. Some of the questions that applied linguists ask include:  -How can languages best be learnt and taught? -What social factors affect language learning? -How can technology be used to contribute to the effectiveness of language teaching/learning? -What are the related problems associated with language disorders? How can these be prevented?

4. Question • According to the definition, what are some possible issues concerned in the field of Applied Linguistics?

5. Areas in Applied Linguistics • Traditional concern of applied linguistics has been • second language acquisition theory • second language pedagogy • interface between the two • Other areas • authorship identification • forensic linguistics • language-related disorders (aphasic, autistic speakers)

6. Areas in Applied Linguistics—AAAL 2002 (18 topic areas) • language and its acquisition • language and assessment • language and the brain • language and cognition • language and culture • language and ideology • language and instruction

7. Areas in Applied Linguistics—AAAL 2002 • language and interaction • language and listening • language and media • language and policy • language and reading • language and research methodology • language and society

8. Areas in Applied Linguistics—AAAL 2002 • language and speaking • language and technology • language and translation/interpretation • language and writing

9. The Development of Applied Linguistics—Early History • the ancient Greeks • Plato and Aristotle: design of curriculum of grammar, rhetoric

10. The Development of Applied Linguistics—Early History • English: • Samuel Johnson (1755). Dictionary of the English Language • authority on the meanings of English words • standardizing English spellings • Robert Lowth (1762). Short Introduction to English Grammar • adopted as ‘correct English”

11. The Development of Applied Linguistics—The 20th Century • L2 teaching methods: • Grammar-translation method (ability to ‘analyze’ language) • Direct method (use-based, exposure to oral language) • Reading MethodVocabulary Control Movement) • Audiolingualism (World War II) (Behaviorism) • Cognitive approach (Chomsky, 1959) • Communicative competence (Hymes, 1972) • Monitor theory (Krashen, 1982) • Focus on form (Doughty and Williams, 1998) • CALL • Corpus Linguistics

12. The Development of Applied Linguistics—The 20th Century • Social/Cultural and Contextual Elements • Philosophy • Psychology (experimental science): separation of individual and society (Chomsky) • Labov (1970): How social factors influence L1 language use Tarone (1979) did the same for L2 • Sociolinguistics: The study of the interface of social factors and language use • Pragmatics • Discourse Analysis

13. The Development of Applied Linguistics—The 20th Century • Social/Cultural and Contextual Elements • Philosophy • Psychology (experimental science): separation of individual and society (Chomsky) • Labov (1970): How social factors influence L1 language use Tarone (1979) did the same for L2 • Sociolinguistics: The study of the interface of social factors and language use • Pragmatics • Discourse Analysis

14. The Development of Applied Linguistics—The 20th Century • Sociolinguistics: The study of the interface of social factors and language use • Pragmatics • Discourse Analysis • Social and contextual influences cannot be divorced form individual learners when language learning and use are studied.