VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

UNIVERSIDAD EXTERNADO DE COLOMBIA

MASTERS IN EDUCATION WITH EMPHASIS ON ENGLISH DIDACTICS
MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT

PROFESSOR: ASTRID NEZ PARDO M.A.

I. Theory of the nature of language: A component of the instructional design in a

research project

PART A:

Following Tudor's (2001) insights, there are various perspectives on the nature of the language; none of them is
definite, but suitable for diverse participants and in diverse learning contexts. Despite the existence of many
perspectives of the theory of language, Tudor centres on four main visions of the nature of language.

Read the visions of language carefully. Which of these language visions have you used in your own
language learning process/experience?

Decide which language vision meets the language learning programme followed in your teaching context.
Justify.

Regarding the pedagogical intervention of your research project , which language vision would best
satisfy/meet/match its requirements and implementation? Explain.

Four Visions of the Nature of Language

Self-expression Culture and ideology
Linguistic perspective Functional perspective
perspective perspective

It focuses on understanding
the concept of language. This
perspective of language
answers the question
"How can the language be
analysed and presented to
students in an effective and
meaningful manner?" (Tudor,
2001, p. 50)
It centres on the role of
language to do things. Hymes
(1972) placed language within
the social context and as a
means for members of a
community to express their
ideas, perceptions and values
(as cited in Tudor, 2001).
The main assumption of
It emphasises the role of
language as a medium to
attain not only the pragmatic
goals achieved in the
functional perspective, but
also as a means by which
individuals build personal
relationships express
feelings, desires, preferences,
interests, and so on.
Acknowledging the fact that
language is a conceived as
(a) a linguistic system,
(b) a functional tool for a
specific transactional goal or
pragmatic purpose,
(c) a medium for self-
expression of individual of a
speech community, this
vision deems language as

To do so, Cunningsworth Communicative language Under this perspective, (d) a means that expresses
(1995, as cited in Tudor, 2001) teaching is for language "Language learners find a aspects of the culture and the
Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011
VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

identifies six categories
resulting from an analysis of
published course books:
- grammar
- vocabulary
- phonology
- discourse
- style & appropriacy
- varieties of the target
language (TL)
Cunningsworth observes that
materials writers and
publishers deem grammar as a
defining principle in language
teaching materials. On the
contrary, Lewis (1993),
contends that the basis of
language is lexis and thus,
assuming grammar system
mastery as a prerequisite for
effective communication is a
misunderstanding (p.133).
learners to be able to do
something with the language or
in the TL. In other words, in a
language learning programme
based on the functional
approach to language teaching
course content and activities
are selected to enable students
to operate effectively in the
relevant situation of use (to use
the language for a specific
transactional goal or pragmatic
purpose). It uses language as
a tool to achieve
communicative goals. It deals
with the uses that learners
have to make of the language
to attain functional goals such
as performing an academic task
(reading a specific text) or
professional task (answering
the phone, giving information to
customers, persuading
someone to buy something,
complaining about the service,
apologizing, and so forth).
This vision of language meets
the objectives set for
Language for Specific
Purposes (LSP)
Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT).
sense of personal
meaningfulness in their
language study" (Tudor, 2001,
p. 69) since they use the
language for both a specific
transactional goal and
pragmatic purpose and for
self-expression.
The humanistic movement
has given prominence to
introducing the expressive
and personal side of language
use as it gives learners the
possibility to build their own
personal agenda for language
learning. There is no
contradiction between the
functional and the self-
expression views of language
since academic and
professional achievements
can nourish personal
accomplishment.
This vision of language meets
the objectives set for
Community Language
Learning (CLL), an approach
designed by Charles Curran
(1972-1976). In such
approach there is not a pre-
establish syllabus, content, or
assessment, but rather
learners experiencing the
language around ideas or
subjects of personal
relevance to them.
view of the world that those
speakers hold.
Scholar like Brown (2001),
Tudor (2002), Stevick (1989)
and Norton (1997) contend
that learning a language
implies learning the culture of
the language.
Stevick (1989) further asserts
that "learning o see the world
through the eyes of a different
culture may be one of the
most broadly educational
advantages of learning
another language" (as cited
in Tudor , 2001, p.70).
Language reveals aspects of
interpersonal interactions that
are embedded in socio
cultural conventions.
Due to the fact that the socio
cultural aspect of language
intervenes in language use
(a) it has great influence in
learners' ability to use the TL
in an effective and
contextually appropriate
manner
(b) they have to be integrated
into both programme design
and teaching (Tudor, 2001).

Write an outline of your language vision that informs your research design. Briefly define and describe the
theory of language vision you opt for and add the sources you plan to include.

The theory of language that informs the language learning programme at Guacacallo high school is

Behaviorist, which according to B. F. Skinner seeks students respond to the reinforcement, pace

themselves in an assignment to work from the most basic to more complicated concepts, ask question for

more clarity in direction and ask for feedback.

Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011
VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

Socialize your outline with you classmates and professor. Accept their feedback as source of further
improvement for this component of the instructional design in your research project.

Partners' feedback Professor's feedback

__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________

Bibliography

Tudor, I. (2001) The dynamics of the language classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

PART B
Richards and Rodgers (2001) identify three theoretical views of the nature of language that inform existing
language teaching methods and approaches.

Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011
VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

Read the views of language carefully. Which of these language visions have you used in your own language
learning process/experience?

Decide which language view meets the language learning programme followed in your teaching context.
Justify.

Regarding the pedagogical intervention of your research project , which language view would best
satisfy/meet/match its requirements and implementation? Explain.

Three Theoretical Views of Language

Structural view Functional view Interactional view

"Language is a system of
structurally related elements
for the coding of meaning"
(Richards and Rodgers,
2001, p. 20).
The purpose of this view is
the mastery of phonological,
grammatical, and lexical
units of this system.
"Language is a vehicle for the
expression of functional
meaning" (Richards and
Rodgers, 2001, p. 21).
This view calls attention to the
semantic and communicative
dimension rather than the
simple grammatical features of
language.
"Language is the vehicle for the realization of
interpersonal relations and for the performance of social
interaction among individuals" (Richards and Rodgers,
2001, p. 21). Likewise, Rivers (1987) claims that
"students achieve facility of using a language when their
attention is focussed on conveying and receiving
authentic messages" (p. 4)
This view emphasises on the creation and maintenance
social relationships.

The Audio-lingual method,
the Total Physical Response
(TPR) method, and the
Silent Way are among the
methods that favour this
particular view of language.
Language teaching content
should be organised by
categories of meaning and
function.
Notional Syllabuses (Wilkins,
1976) and English for Specific
Purposes (ESP) (Robinson,
1980) give an account of this
view of language (as cited in
Richards and Rodgers,
2001).
Language teaching content should be organised by
patterns of exchange and interaction.
Task-based language teaching (TBL), Whole language,
Cooperative language learning (CLL), Content-based
Instruction, and Neurolinguistic Programming draw on
this view of language.
Interaction analysis, conversation analysis and ethno
methodology are areas of inquiry that support this
language view.

Write an outline of your language view that informs your instructional design. Briefly define and describe the
language view you opt for and add the sources you have planned to include.

Learning a foreign language implies learn something that is not entire functional in your local context but its
important to extent your personal and professional development. In the same sense "Language is a vehicle for the
expression of functional meaning" (Richards and Rodgers, 2001, p. 21). Hence, teaching process have to foster to
Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011
VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

increase and keep learners motivate through semantic and communicative dimension rather than the simple
grammatical features of language.

Socialize your outline with you classmates and professor. Accept their feedback as source of further

improvement for this component of the instructional design in your research project.

Partners' feedback Professor's feedback

__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________

Bibliography

Richards, J. & Rodgers T. (2001) Approaches in methods and language teaching . New York, NY: Cambridge
University Press

II. Theory of language learning: A component of the instructional design in a research

project

One of the questions committed teachers should, at least once in their career, reflect upon is what the
learning process implies. Unlike language teaching procedures and learning activities, language learning cannot
be easily visualised; it is a mental process that cannot be viewed in a concrete manner; we can hardly have
straightforward contact to the process of learning as such (Tudor, 2001). Since teaching is a purposeful activity,
what we do in the EFL classroom, the materials we present and the activities we developed create the conditions
to help language learners use the language effectively. Accordingly, Rico (2005) suggests that to attain coherence

Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011
VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

in materials writers should, on the one hand, define the method and approach, which involves the nature and the
of language learning; on the other hand, they should envision the syllabus design to be implemented based on the
chosen theory. The author further asserts that when choosing a theory of language learning teachers should
consider not only the psycholinguist and cognitive processes involved in learning a language, but also the
conditions that need to be met for learning to take place (as cited in Nez, Tllez, Castellanos and Ramos, 2009,
p. 31-32). The aforementioned reasons have turned theories of learning into teaching methods and materials
(Tudor, 2001).
Two salient issues should be addressed in language learning: (a) due to the uniqueness of language
learners, one size does not fit all, which means that a single methodological procedure does not suit all learners;
(b) although the methodology becomes part of the classroom dynamics, it does not always match to pedagogical
reality that takes place in the classroom (as a result of both the teacher's and the students interpretation and
interaction with the methodology in use). In view of that, the author distinguishes four visions of learning which
have played a key role in academic discussions.

Four visions of language learning

Experiential learning
It highlights direct experience of the
TL for communicative purposes.
It addresses to main factors of
language learning: (a) permanent
exposure to significant quantity of
input in the TL and
(b) Constant use of the language
for communicative purposes.
This experiential approach to
learning advocates two issues:
(a) Learning by doing: language
use promotes learning and it need
to be structures in a consistent
pedagogically manner. Five
principles foster experiential
learning:
- message focus (conveyance)
- holistic practice (manipulation of
various communicative parameters and
levels)
- authentic materials
(inauthentic materials are
"unrepresentative of real language and
therefore unlikely to provide learners
with a meaningful model of language
use" ( Widdowson, 1978, as cited in
Tudor, 2001, p. ) Likewise, Krashen,
1985; and Krashen and Terrell, 1983;
Analytical learning
It remarks the use of
cognitive skills that
learners make in their
language learning
process.
Learners can apply their
ability to analyse
information and to
ponder upon their
alternatives of their
language study and other
aspects of life.
This vision of language
favours
(a) The rational of
analytical learning: it
entails the use of
learners' analytical skills
through the "explicit
study of the TL as a
linguistic and
communicative system"
(Tudor, 2001, p. 86)
Then, by consciously
studying the structural
regularities and
communicative patterns
Habit formation:
developing The role of affect
automaticity
Some aspects of The interaction of students
communication require with learning activities is
the knowledge of the shaped by cognitive,
language and the psychological and
ability to use it in a experiential factors that
fluent and automatic generate affective interaction
manner. For Johnson with the learning process.
(1996) automatisation
builds a link between The positive affective
declarative and dimension is the key element
procedural knowledge. or even the pre-requisite to
understanding, effective
This vision of language communication and durable
supports learning (Tomlinson, 1998).
(a) habit formation: Berman (1999) sates that
automatisation of experiences charged with
linguistic competence strong emotions or feelings
requires a certain are more likely to be retained
degree of habit in the long-term memory.
formation (e.g.
audiolingualism). When students have a
(b) a constructive role positive affective disposition
of habit formation: (attitude and involvement) to
Fluent langue use the language, the learning
implies a range of sub- process, the learning
skills and some of them materials and tasks, and
require habitual relationships in the EFL
response (greetings, classroom, there are greater
conversational possibilities for language

Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011
VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

as cited in Tudor, 2001) stress the
importance of authentic input in langue
learning).
- communicative strategy use
(learners develop strategic skills that
may be used inside and outside the
EFL classroom).
- collaborative types of learning
(learning activities and task that
involve collaboration among
learners).
(b) experience in context: Students
learn a language to make a
pragmatic use of it. This can be
accomplished through
communicative and problem
solving activities that are relevant
and meaningful for them in the
present and in the future. This
personal meaningfulness draws
from the extent to which materials
and activities suit the learners'
uniqueness, genuine interests and
expectations at both classroom and
personal life levels (Tudor, 2001) .
of the TL langue learning
takes place.
There are two ways of
approaching learning in
analytical way deduction
or induction.
While in the deductive
approach, the analysis is
done by the knower (the
teacher or the material
writer), in the inductive
approach the analysis of
regularities is done by
the learners.
(b)From knowledge to
skill: For Johnson (1996)
there are two types of
language knowledge,
declarative (knowing
that) and procedural
(knowing how).
Even though, analytical
learning promotes
declarative knowledge
(structural regularities of
the TL), it does not
necessarily foster the
use of language for
communicative purposes
(Tudor, 2001).
routines, and the like). production. Affect cannot be
Besides, it aids ignored in any language
learners gain fluency learning vision.
and communicative
confidence. Moskovitz (1978) criticises
traditional education as it is
"information-based,
dehumanising, and
alienating and irrelevant to
real needs of students" (as
cited in Tudor, 2001, p. 96)
This vision of language
learning claim that
(a) affect is an explicit
methodological variable: the
humanistic perspective of
langue teaching fosters the
development of positive
affects to language learning.
(b) affect is diverse ( there is
diversity of affect):
humanistic language
teaching fosters positive
affective relationships and
learning. However, positive
affective experiences may be
regarded differently in
different cultures.

Read the visions of language learning thoroughly. Which of these language visions have you experienced?

Decide which language learning vision matches your language teaching methodology? Justify.

Regarding the pedagogical intervention of your research project , which language learning vision would best
meet its requirements and implementation? Explain.

Write an outline of your language learning vision that informs your instructional design. Briefly define and
describe it and add the sources you have planned to include.

Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011
VISIONS OF THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNING

Theory of language learning vision underlying the language programme at ____________

school name
school is

_________________________________________________, which according to __________________

a scholar's name

aids ________________________________________________________________________________.

Socialize your outline with you classmates and professor. Accept their feedback as source of further
improvement for this component of the instructional design in your research project.

Partners' feedback Professor's feedback

__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________

Bibliography

Nez A., Tllez M., Castellanos J. and Ramos B. (2009). A practical materials development guide for EFL pre-
service, novice, and in-service teachers . Bogot: Departamento de Publicaciones, Universidad Externado de
Colombia.

Tomlinson, B. (1998). Materials development in language teaching . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Tudor, I. (2001) The dynamics of the language classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Materials Development in-class workshop for the MEED students at Universidad Externado de Colombia. Developed by Astrid Nez
Pardo M.A., 2011