
Language Teaching and Skill Learning
Keith Johnson(Author)
Wiley (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 2. December 1995
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-0-631-16877-5 (ISBN)
Description
This book argues controversially that second-language acquisition has much in common with other forms of skill learning, and that there is much to be learned about the business of language teaching by considering the views and practices of teachers in other domains.
For many Applied Linguists, language is unique among human skills, incomparable in its acquisition and use to other forms of behaviour. Their study of second-language learning and teaching may thus draw on knowledge about first-language acquisition, but not on what is known about the learning of non-linguistic skills. This book argues against such an approach. It begins by considering arguments for and against the uniqueness of language. It reviews the recent literature in second-language acquisition, looking both at general learning theories (which account for language alongside other skills) and opposing theories (mostly based on the study of Universal Grammar). The book then turns to language teaching, and in a programmatic way considers what insights may be gained by viewing language within a general skills framework. Particular attention is given to how the teacher may help students to make consciously learned language automatic.
For many Applied Linguists, language is unique among human skills, incomparable in its acquisition and use to other forms of behaviour. Their study of second-language learning and teaching may thus draw on knowledge about first-language acquisition, but not on what is known about the learning of non-linguistic skills. This book argues against such an approach. It begins by considering arguments for and against the uniqueness of language. It reviews the recent literature in second-language acquisition, looking both at general learning theories (which account for language alongside other skills) and opposing theories (mostly based on the study of Universal Grammar). The book then turns to language teaching, and in a programmatic way considers what insights may be gained by viewing language within a general skills framework. Particular attention is given to how the teacher may help students to make consciously learned language automatic.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Hoboken
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
312 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-631-16877-5 (9780631168775)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
The author is Senior Lecuturer in Linguistics at the University of Lancaster. He is editor, with Christopher J. Brumfit, of The Communicative Approach to Language Teaching.
Content
List of Figures. Acknowledgements.
Introduction.
Language and Cognition.
Language as Skill.
Second-language Learning and Universal Grammar.
A Model for Second-language Learning and Acquisition.
Declarative Knowledge: Developing and Maintaining It.
The Processing Dimension: Errors and Mistakes.
Making Automatic: 'ra-1'.
Towards a Skill Framework for Language Teaching.
Communicative Language Teaching and Information Processing.
Bibliography.
Index.
Introduction.
Language and Cognition.
Language as Skill.
Second-language Learning and Universal Grammar.
A Model for Second-language Learning and Acquisition.
Declarative Knowledge: Developing and Maintaining It.
The Processing Dimension: Errors and Mistakes.
Making Automatic: 'ra-1'.
Towards a Skill Framework for Language Teaching.
Communicative Language Teaching and Information Processing.
Bibliography.
Index.