Language Knowledge And Pedagogy

An in-depth exploration of the nature of language, knowledge and pedagogy, providing a progressive analysis of knowledge structures at work in educations institutions.

This book explores the importance of language in content learning. It focuses on teachers’ roles, knowledge and understanding of language in school contexts (including academic language and disciplinary languages) to support students. It examines teachers' language-related knowledge base for content teaching, which include teachers' knowledge of and about language, knowledge of (their) students and their pedagogical knowledge. This book also explores how teachers’ knowledge of language, students and content are linked as part of a larger pedagogical content knowledge, which includes knowledge of the role of language in content learning. As well, it further considers literacy (and literacies) as part of this examination of teachers’ knowledge of language.

This book explores the nature of knowledge, language and pedagogy from the perspective of two complementary theories: systemic functional linguistics, and Bernstein-inspired sociology. Bernstein's sociology of knowledge makes a distinction between horizontal and vertical discourses as ways in which knowledge is transmitted in institutional settings, with teachers as agents of symbolic control. Systemic functional linguists have explored educational discourse according to similar hierarchies, and by bringing the two perspectives together this book shows the impact of language on knowledge and pedagogy. The contributors examine the different structures of knowledge and the flow of information within the school context, but also according to language in early childhood, literacy, English, the social sciences, science and mathematics. The result is a progressive and dynamic analysis of knowledge structures at work in educational institutions. Language, Knowledge and Pedagogy makes a major contribution to linguistics, applied linguistics and educational theory. It will be of interest to researchers working in these areas.

Science has never been more important, yet science education faces serious challenges. At present, science education research only sees half the picture, focusing on how students learn and their changing conceptions. Both teaching practice and what is taught, science knowledge itself, are missing. This book offers new, interdisciplinary ways of thinking about science teaching that foreground the forms taken by science knowledge and the language, imagery and gesture through which they are expressed. This book brings together leading international scholars from Systemic Functional Linguistics, a long-established approach to language, and Legitimation Code Theory, a rapidly growing sociological approach to knowledge practices. It explores how to bring knowledge, language and pedagogy back into the picture of science education but also offers radical innovations that will shape future research. Part I sets out new ways of understanding the role of knowledge in integrating mathematics into science, teaching scientific explanations and using multimedia resources such as animations. Part II provides new concepts for showing the role of language in complex scientific explanations, in how scientific taxonomies are built, and in combining with mathematics and images to create science knowledge. Part III draws on the approaches to explore how more students can access scientific knowledge, how to teach professional reasoning, the role of body language in science teaching, and making mathematics understandable to all learners. Teaching Science offers major leaps forward in understanding knowledge, language and pedagogy that will shape the research agenda far beyond science education.

Providing an East-West flow of language teaching knowledge and know-how to balance prevailing Western-centric perspectives, this book is an in-depth investigation of the impact of Western-based language teacher education on the pedagogy and practice of Chinese English language teachers who received their training in Western institutions or those that emphasize Western-based teaching approaches. A significant and growing number of these teachers will influence millions of language learners in China over the next decades. The Pedagogy and Practice of Western-trained Chinese English Language Teachers: Forefronts Chinese teachers’ voices and experiences in the context of their workplaces and classrooms Connects and balances theory and practice using a sociocultural lens Discusses the Chinese government’s policies on the training of teachers and analyzes them in terms of their impact on both American and Chinese higher education institutions This is a must read book for anyone interested in learning theory adopted from a Western perspective and applied within an Asian setting.

Research-Driven Pedagogy: Implications of L2A Theory and Research for the Teaching of Language Skills brings together the essentials of SLA theory, research, and L2 pedagogy. Uniquely, the design of this book helps researchers and practitioners make explicit connections between theory, research and practice; learn about and conduct classroom research to contribute to the relevance and applicability of SLA research; and improves current L2 curriculum and instruction in light of current theory and research. The volume offers critical reviews of the most relevant, current SLA theory and research about receptive, productive, complementary and nonverbal communication skills, as well as willingness to communicate. Each chapter is formatted to include five major topics about each language skill: (1) major theories, (2) critical reviews of salient/current, (3) commonly-used data collection and analysis techniques, (4) summary of specific pedagogical implications of pertinent research and theory, and (5) theory and research-driven scenarios/activities that can be used in teaching. A teacher or a researcher can pick any chapter in this volume to learn about the most important language skills (e.g., reading, writing, nonverbal communication), while having all-in-one place access to almost everything they would need.

This book establishes a bridge between current research in Linguistics and Psycholinguistics and language pedagogy in the classroom. It reformulates the debates about teaching approaches by calling the reader’s attention to discoveries about the structure of grammar, the universals of language, mind processes while comprehending, producing and storing language, and facts about learning. The popularization of L2 teaching brought with it a need to find efficient teaching methods. Debates have hinged mainly around the alleged advantages of communicative vs. traditional methods. However, most approaches have their roots in linguistic and psychological theories that have been questioned by language researchers. Some language teachers are probably unaware of these advances and to that extent, continue to adhere to teaching approaches mainly based on intuitions. Consequently, evaluating materials may be often performed in rather uninformed circumstances. The book contains chapters on relevant issues by leading researchers, classified into three main areas. The editors contribute a chapter to each of these sections about the implications for second language teaching. This book facilitates an approximation between researchers in the theoretical and experimental fields of language and those responsible for innovation in language teaching. It is designed so that L2 teachers can adopt and adjust the knowledge drawn from the book to their particular environment and group of students.

This volume offers insights in current theoretical discussions, observations, and reflections from internationally and regionally celebrated scholars on the theory and practice of teaching English informed by a new school of thought, English as an International Language (EIL). This volume provides readers (scholars, teachers, teacher-educators, researchers in the relevant fields) with: Knowledge of the changing paradigm and attitudes towards English language teaching from teaching a single variety of English to teaching intercultural communication and English language variation. Current thoughts on the theory of teaching English as an international language by internationally-celebrated established scholars and emergent scholars. Scholarly descriptions and discussions of how English language educators and teacher-educators translate the paradigm of English as an International Language into their existing teaching. Delineation of how this newly emerged paradigm is received or responded to by English language educators and students when it is implemented. Readers have a unique opportunity to observe and read the tensions and dilemmas that educators and students are likely to experience in teaching and learning EIL.