1 Unit 1 Language and Learning 1.1 How do we learn language？ 1. We learn language at different ages 2. People have different experiences 3. People learn languages for different reasons 4. People learn languages in different ways 5. People have different capabilities in language learning 6. Learning can be affected by the way how language is taught 7. Learning is affected by the degree of success one is expect to achieve. 8. Thus the challenge confronting language teaching is how teaching methodology can ensure successful learning by all the learners who have more differences than the commonality. 1. 2 What are the major views of language? 1) Structural view: Language is a linguistic system made up of various subsystems: phonology, morphology, lexicology and syntax. To learn a language is to learn its vocabulary and structural rules. 2) Functional view: Language is a linguistic system as well as a means for doing things. Learners learn a language in order to be able to do things with it (use it). To perform functions, learners need to know how to combine the grammatical rules and the vocabulary to express notions that perform the functions. 3) Interactional view: Language is a communicative tool to build up and maintain social relations between people. Learners need to know the rules of a language and where, when and how it is appropriate to use them. 1.3 Views on Language Learning Two broad learning theories： Process-oriented theories are concerned with how the mind organizes new information. Condition-oriented theories emphasize the nature of human and physical context. Behaviorist theory B. F. Skinner A stimulus-response theory of psychology Audio-lingual method The idea of this method is that language is learned by constant repetition and the reinforcement of the teacher. Mistakes were immediately corrected, and correct utterances were immediately praised. B. Cognitive theory Influenced by Noam Chomsky (revival of structural linguistics) Language as an intricate rule-based system A learner acquires language competence which enables him to produce language. One influential idea of cognitive approach to language teaching is that students should be allowed to create their own sentence based on their own understanding of certain rules. C. Constructivist theory Jean Piaget (18961980) The learner constructs meaning based on his/her own experiences and what is already known. D. Socio-constructivist theory Vygotsky “Zone of Proximal Development” (ZPD); scaffolding (脚手架脚手架) Learning is best achieved through the dynamic interaction between the teacher and the learner and between learners. 1.4 What are the qualities of a good language teacher? A good language teacher does not solely depend on his/her command of the language. There are a variety of elements that contributes to the qualities of a good language teacher. These elements can be categorized into 2 three groups: ethic devotion, professional quality and personal styles. 1.5 How can one become a good language teacher? Wallaces (1991) reflective model (Figure 1.1, p.9) Stage 1: language development Stage 2: learning, practice, reflection The learning stage is the purposeful preparation that a language normally receives before the practice, This preparation can include: 1. Learning from others experience 2. Learning the received knowledge 3. Learning from ones own experiences The practice stage (2 senses) Pseudo practice: short period of time assigned to do teaching practice as part of ones pre-service education, usually under the supervision of instructors The real classroom teaching: what a teacher undertakes after he/she finishes formal education Teachers benefit from practice if they keep on reflecting on what they have been doing Goal: professional competence Unit 2 Communicative Principles and Task-based language teaching 2.1 How is language learned in classrooms different from language used in real life? Language used in real life Language taught in the classroom To perform certain communicative functions To focus on forms (structures or patterns) Use all skills, both receptive skills and productive skills To focus on one or two language skills and ignore others. Used in a certain context To isolate language from its context 2.2 What is communicative competence? To bridge the gap between classroom language teaching and real-life language use, one solution is to adopt CLT, the goal of which is to develop students communicative competence. 2.2.1 Definition: Communicative competence include both the knowledge about the language and the knowledge about how to use the language appropriately in communicative situations 2.2.2 Five components of communicative competence (Hedge 2000) 3 1. Linguistic competence （语言能力语言能力） a) The knowledge of language itself, its form and meaning. 2. Pragmatic competence （语用能力语用能力） a) The appropriate use of language in social context. 3. Discourse competence （语篇能力语