Philosophy Paper
What does linguistics mean? Who can benefit from the use of it? Where is it used? How is it implemented? These questions, and others, can help those that are consideringlinguists as a field of study or as a career. I always explain linguistics as merely the study of languages but there is quite a bit more to this subject than that. Dictionary.com describes linguistics as, “the science of language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and historical linguistics.” Needless to say, I am captivated by the major of Linguistics and the minor TESOL; which have literally become a central part of my life. Throughout this paper I would like to focus on what it means to be fluent, how crucial motivations is in the learning process, and that there are various aspects of language that must be learned in conjunction to fully understand language.
There are many people on this planet that profess their ability to speak multiple languages, yet how many of them are they “fluent” in? We often think of fluency as the ability to carry on a conversation without strain or awkwardness, yet it is much more than that. I have studied Hungarian for years andoften still feel inadequate when I am speaking about different aspects of life. A native speaker is notalways more fluent than one who speaksEnglishas a second language.Savignon states; “reference to the terms “native” or native-like” in the evaluations of communicative competence is inappropriate in today’s postcolonial, multicultural world. As observed earlier, we now recognize that native speakers are never “ideal” and, in fact vary widely in range and style of communicative abilities (Savignon 21).” It became clear to me within the sphere of Savignon’s article that our native language is the one we think in. I hope at one point in my life that I will be able to think and ponder about different aspects of life in Hungarian, yet I hope to keep my personality intact along the way. What is your “native” language?
How do you motivate students to practice vocabulary on their own? How do you keep them focused on the important vocabulary rather than the slang and words not commonly used? Is there an actual word list that could be developed that would not hinder the students or give them a false impression of what they should be focused on? Do flash cards work for everyone? Do tests and quizzes frustrate the students more than assist? All these questions are important in understanding what each student needs. Some work better with just a direct word for word translation. Others need more hands on experience with the language. When teaching you need to find the way that best suits each student to motivate them to accomplish their language goals. Learn about the students so they know you are there to help them and that you really care about them and are not just there because you have to be or they might think the same about themselves.“Learner attitude is without a doubt the single most important factor in learner success. Whether a learner’s motivations are integrative or instrumental, the development of communicative competence involves the whole learner (Savignon 21).”
English teachers should also try to build their students’ intrinsic motivations by encouraging students to consider rewards that come from within themselves, such as a sense of accomplishment, the love of learning new things, the love of creating, or the desire to pursue their curiosity of interests (Snow 13).” Those inner desires are what keep us motivated through all the struggles and blissful moments of language learning. I shall never forget the gentle reminder from my companion in Hungary as he stated, “Remember that we need to be here for Adam when he receives the priesthood of God.” I can hardly imagine the anguish of not being able to understand Adam in the years to come. Thus, it is crucial that I do not neglect my own language proficiency simply because of laziness. Snow relates what it takes for learners to maintain their proficiency; “Learners who have a strong desire to learn and who feel good about their progress are far more likely to continue working hard over the long haul required in learning a language (Snow 8).” Truly, motivation is the key to success in not only language learning but to life itself.
Another aspect of language learning that has impacted my philosophy of learning is the inverted pyramid by Savignon consisting of grammatical competence, discourse competence, sociocultural competence, and strategic competence. Savignon describes the importance of each of these by stating; “Although the relative importance of the various components depends on the overall level of communicative competence, each one is essential. Moreover all components are interrelated. They cannot be developed or measured in isolation and one cannot go from one component to the others as one strings beads to make a necklace. Rather, an increase in one component interacts with other components to produce a corresponding increase in overall communicative competence (Savignon 17).” Likewise, pragmatics and grammar cannot work one without the other. It is crucial that as learners develop in their abilities that they have all aspects of language equally so they may never misunderstand someone. The image of when I used the word meleg, hot or homosexual in Hungarian, in the wrong context haunts me even to this day. Thus, “When you cannot tailor instruction to a particular set of needs, it is generally best to help students develop a balanced, general set of English skills and knowledge (Snow 36).” These skills will decrease the amount of those embarrassing moments and could even save a person’s life.
There is an astonishing amount of vocabulary one needs to perform well in an academic setting. Snow goes on to describe that; “… a vocabulary of 7,000-10,000 words is necessary to make most average texts accessible; in fact, an educated native speaker of English may have a receptive vocabulary of 45,000-60,000 words (Snow 179).” Words have meaning. Likewise, we should have meaning in what we teach. I have personally tried to adapt the use of word lists in my own class at the MissionaryTrainingCenter. It has been found that over 75% of all conference talks could be read with a word list of only 500 words. It has really helped the missionaries focus and understand more than they have been able to in the past. There are real people with real desires behind each voice. It is very important to teach them language in context and with all the key elements. It is not fair to cheat those that are trying to better themselves simply because we do not know what to do in the classroom. We must learn this material and go out into the world to strengthen and uplift those that are so eager to learn the language most of us inherited in our youth.
Works Cited
Savignon, Sandra J.. “Communicative Language Teaching for the Twenty-First Century.” Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language 3rd. ed.. Celce-Murcia, Murcia.
Snow, Don. More Than a Native Speaker. Arlington, Virginia: Kirby Lithographic Company, Inc., 2006.