This material is the primary reading for
the class, Language as Human
behavior, that serves as the foundation course for the teacher preparation
program in foreign languages K - 12.
A.Conceptualization: Language as Human Behavior
Teaching and learning reflect an interrelated process beginning
with a person's motivation to change behavior and the tasks involved in
that change.
1.Consider the proposition: a native English-speaking person wants to
learn to speak a second language. Where does that person
begin?
2.Answers to this question force a consideration of the function of
language and the implied changes in order to develop strategies to
facilitate these changes. This leads to the question: What is the
human behavior of language?
3.Background of the conceptualization:
Linguistic/philosophical orientation of professor:
b.Perspectives fundamental to the focus of teaching:
c.Culture as enhancement of 3 keys in that culture is the foundation
of language (it remains when language has passed on) from which language
can be derived for instructional purposes. Human interaction is the
essence of culture. [Cf. Language/culture/brain.]
4.Introduction highlights the need for linguistic and pedagogical
competence of teachers (and intended outcomes of UCF professional foreign
language teacher program.)
II.Importance of linguistic/pedagogical competence
A.Important knowledge of language and functioning is valuable to the
teacher as a learner/speaker of a second language regarding the ability to
create conditions for change in the new language behavior leading to new
communicative competence by students.
B.Contexts to understand (Cf. III, below)
C.Professional development/potential for action, self-perceptions.
1.Knowledge highlights difficulty of learning a foreign language.
5.Teachers should understand the process of communication underlying
the conceptualization of language:
6.Professional growth is needed in order for teachers to rethink
pertinent issues in the field.
7.In general, teachers must learn to develop strategies based on a
broad understanding of the critical factors affecting the learner, the
instruction and the facilitator. Implicitly, the best approach is the one
most logically consistent with the soundest understanding of the nature of
language/language change with culturally appropriate settings of natural
communication between creative, unique, human beings. III.Linguistic Awareness: what is language as human behavior?
Description divided into different aspects: nature of language
(definitions and perspectives), nature of communication, and nature of
language as a learning tool. Implied changes highlight logical
pedagogical approaches: goals, contexts, content, methods and evaluation.
1.Definition: language is human behavior (see definitions handout)
B.Nature of Communication: definitions, principles, interaction.
1.Definitions
C.Language and Learning
D.Language and Thought
E.Competence and (vs) performance.
IV.Implications for Teaching
Pedagogical aspects:
David.W.Gurney, Ph.D.
Foreign Language Education home page
Language is human behavior.
1)nature of language change through personal experience.
2)adequacy and appropriate focus/context of language teaching
strategy/techniques.
3)challenge of meaningful human development and teacher's role as
interpreter/facilitator; and commitment to continue gaining knowledge
about the process of language change and techniques for facilitating such
change.
1)language is creative human behavior
2)3 keys: meaningfulness, mastery and
communication.
The essence of these is meaningfulness.
3)instructional strategy is not limited by these due to the search for
the essential aspects regarding the nature of language, which lead to
higher conceptualizations of learning, teaching, contexts, experiences;
i.e., essential focus of culture as the beginning point of language
learning.
1. Physiological (complexity of language).
2.Communication (principles and settings).
3.Learning processes and use of language.
4.Language and thought.
5.Language acquisition.
6.Pedagogical perspectives: change and
meaningfulness in cultural
behavior.
2.Gives us the right/theoretical support for teaching methods and
understanding of linguistic/pedagogical changes. We need a rationale.
3.Professional growth leads to changes beneficial to learning/pedagogy.
4.Language teaching is the application of the best knowledge teachers can
have concerning:
a.nature of the learner;
b.nature of language;
c.nature of language change;
d. nature of language acquisition
e.relationship of culture and language;
=
f.appropriate strategies consistent with these changes in order to
effect language changes.
a creative, human, communicative behavior.
2.Other aspects.
a.Language is complex beyond contemporary understanding from research.
1)language is used in a complex social context: communication;
2)the thought to speech process is unknown
(the physiological functioning well known. Refer to definitions);
3)culture influences language (creativity, change and utilization) and is
its base; How:
a)patterns of syntax in communication are culturally influenced/based;
4)most important: language, therefore communication, is creative human
behavior.
b.Language has no end in itself but serves other human behaviors:
communication and learning/thinking.
a.An active process, essential feature of which is the functional
interrelationship of the parts (cited from Kaplan in English as a
Foreign Language, p. 49.)
b.Communication is a dynamic process; and linguistic expressions are like
"ink spread on paper t the will of the hand that controls the
pen" (Vigotsky, cited by Jakobovits in Foreign Language
Learning, 1970)
c.Relevance to previous notes:
1)complexity re dynamic process and interrelationship of parts +
"Spread" of linguistic expressions at the speaker's will.
2)Creative behavior re "at the will" of the communicator.
3)Suggest others.
d.Principles of communication (see LHB definitions handout part II) +
relevance to notes.
e.Discourse as context of communication.
1)"Discourse is like physical matter made up of limited (finite)
number of units...operating in nearly infinite varieties of patterns in a
constant state of agitated interaction." (Vigotsky)
2)Important to understand the path of communication and the symbolism used
in order to stir reactions in the participants.
Language facilitates learning through the symbolic means of abstracting
behavior (see LBH definitions), plus the use of symbols in concept
formation.
Symbolic interaction expedites the thought process. Vocalization is not an
indicator of the extent of the thought (relates to the difference between
performance and competence in linguistic behavior. Below.)
Conceptualization: symphony orchestra contrasted with concert; intrinsic
competence vs manifestation of ability. Performance is not a total
example of competence, but there is no meaningful performance without
competence.
A.Language instructional strategy.
1.Focus of/on culture and human interaction within a cultural context
deriving language patterns for mastery.
2.Three keys: MMC (Item b.l, Part I.A.)
3.Language teaching cannot be assumed to deal with all aspects of second
language acquisition, nor be pertinent to all humans in changing their
behavior.
a.Competence not limited by performance.
b.Individuality (creativeness) of linguistic behavior requires
individually prescribed learning conditions.
4.FL learning must be meaningful activity for changes to occur in human
behavior.
a.Context of learning must be consistent with content, and valid, at all
times in language learning.
b.Students must be involved (significant mental processing) in learning
activities which show language being used in natural communication
contexts.
5.Meaningfulness as foundation of all language activities.
a.Conceptualization: the teacher who explores possibilities for making
associations more meaningful, who is prepared to meet, and allow for
differences in imagery (response) has to "look beyond method into
philosophy and learning principles that method will help him employ."
Two questions are useful to ask, and their answers are indicative of
future strategy decisions:
1)"How can this (any) method help me provide reinforced learning
experiences?" Rivers, Wilga, Foreign Language Teaching,
Oxford, 1968.
2)How can this (any) method help me to help the child
"construct" himself?" (Montessori). Cited by Stuart,
Marion. Neurophysiological Insights into Teaching, (Palo
Alto, CA: 1965) Pacific Books, p.80.
b.Potential: as student attention is focussed on a specific structure,
with its meaning, the conscious level of the student will be stimulated by
associations in the memory with the meaning elements used in the practice.
When consciousness has risen, students are ready to state (create)
something reflecting their perceptions using the structure which, by this
time, they should have under control. The statements are unique
utterances by students, creative, and meaningful.
c.Teacher implication: "help student overcome his/her inability to
select the appropriate speech activity." Students need knowledge of
the various kinds of discourse blocks and their makeup so that they can
recognize what speakers are doing (i.e.understanding of natural culturally
appropriate, contexts of grammar uses).
1) allow for analysis and synthesis
2)include material which student has generated (Meaningfulness)
3)student control
4)teach word linkages
5)inductive reasoning
6) humanize/personalize teaching
7)restore the cultural context of language use
8)examine human interaction as the basis of language use.
Associate Professor
Foreign Language Education/ESOL Specialist
August 1994
Language as Human Behavior page