Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education

REPUBLIC COLLEGES OF GUINOBATAN, INC.
Guinobatan, Albay

MC
ENGLISH
101
Submitted by:

Kristine Joyce M. Nodalo

BEED – III

Submitted to:

Mrs. Erlinda Crisostomo

Professor
What is Language?

The method of human communication, either spoken or written,

consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional
way.

Language is a system of words or signs that people use to

express thoughts and feelings to each other.

Language is a system of communication, a medium for thought,

and a social interaction.

WHAT ARE THE NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF LANGUAGE?

NATURE basic constitution of a person or thing

CHARACTERISTICS. A feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or
describe recognizably; a distinguishing mark or trait.

NATURE OF LANGUAGE

1. Language is a combination of sounds.

2. Words have meanings.
3. Language follows a grammatical structure.
4. Language is based on aural and oral system.
5. Language can die and be extinct.
6. Language can be diverse.

SOME REASONS FOR THE GROWTH AND DECLINE OF LANGUAGE:

 Changing societal needs

 Erosion of old customs
 Call for elegance

An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling

out of use as its speakers die out or shift to speaking another
language. Language loss occurs when the language has no more
native speakers, and becomes a "dead language".

EXAMPLE: Ancient Greek slowly evolved into modern Greek, and

Latin slowly evolved into modern Italian

An extinct language is a language that no longer has any

speakers, or that is no longer in current use.

Dead languages are still known and used in special contexts in

written form.

A dead language may remain in use for scientific, legal, or

ecclesiastical functions. Old Church Slavonic, Classical
Armenian, Avestan, Coptic, Biblical Hebrew, New Testament Greek,
Ge'ez, Ardhamagadhi, Pali, Sanskrit and Latin are among the many
dead languages used as sacred languages.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LANGUAGE
1. Language is dynamic.
WORD: STATIC MEANING: DYNAMIC
2. Language has levels.
3. Language is creative and unique.
4. Language is a means of communication.
5. Language identifies culture.
6. Language is arbitrary.

Languages are said to be arbitrary because there is no

necessary or natural relationship between the words of a given
language and the concepts that they represent. Also, languages
are arbitrary because the rules for the combination of signs in
order to produce complete thoughts are different from one
language to the other, and no set of rules can claim to be the
"right" one.

Language is a system for communicating. Written languages use

symbols (that is, characters) to build words. The entire set of
words is the language's vocabulary. The ways in which the words
can be meaningfully combined is defined by the language's syntax
and grammar. The actual meaning of words and combinations of
words is defined by the language's semantics.

Language is God’s special gift to mankind. Without language

human civilization, as we now know it, would have remained
impossibility. Language is ubiquitous. It is present everywhere––
in our thoughts and dreams, prayers and meditations, relations
and communication. Besides being a means of communication, and
storehouse of knowledge, it is an instrument of thinking as well
as a source of delight (e.g. singing).
It transfers knowledge from one person to another and from one
generation to another. Language is also the maker or unmaker of
human relationships. It is the use of language that ‘Italics a
life bitter or sweet. Without language man would have remained
only a dumb animal. It is our ability to communicate through
words that makes us different from animals. Because of its
omnipresence, language is often taken for granted.

Language is the basis of all communication and the primary

instrument of thought. Thinking, learning, and language are
interrelated. Language is governed by rules and systems (language
conventions) which are used to explore and communicate meaning.
It defines culture which is essential in understanding oneself
(personal identity), forming interpersonal relationships
(socialization), extending experiences, reflecting on thought and
action, and contributing to a better society. Language,
therefore, is central to the peoples’ intellectual, social and
emotional development and has an essential role in all key
learning areas.

b). Animal versus Human Communication

Systems of communication are not unique to human beings. Other
animal species communicate in a variety of ways. One way is by
sound: a bird may communicate by a call that a territory is his and
should not be encroached upon.
Another means of animal communication is by odor: an ant
releases a chemical when it dies, and other ants then carry it away
to the compost heap. A third means of communication is body
movement, for example used by honeybees to convey the location of
food sources.
 Communication can be defined to include both signals and
symbols. Signals are sounds or gestures that have a natural or
self-evident meaning [example of someone crying (=emotion),
laughing (=emotion), animal cries (=indicating fear, food, or
hunt). In this regard, we can consider that most animal
communication is genetically determined and includes hoots, grunts,
or screams that are meant to mean only one thing and are used every
time in the same situation. So there is only one way to express one
thing and it never changes. Animal communication tends to consist
primarily of signals.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The K-12 Language Arts and Multiliteracies Curriculum is

anchored on the following language acquisition, learning,
teaching and assessing principles.

All languages are interrelated and interdependent. Facility in

the first language (L1) strengthens and supports the learning of
other languages (L2). Acquisition of sets of skills and implicit
metalinguistic knowledge in one language (common underlying
proficiency or CUP) provides the base for the development of both
the first language (L1) and the second language (L2). It follows
that any expansion of CUP that takes place in one language will
have a beneficial effect on the other language(s). This principle
serves to explain why it becomes easier and easier to learn
additional languages.

Language acquisition and learning is an active process that

begins at birth and continues throughout life. It is continuous
and recursive throughout students’ lives. Students enhance their
language abilities by using what they know in new and more
complex contexts and with increasing sophistication (spiral
progression). They reflect on and use prior knowledge to extend
and enhance their language and understanding. By learning and
incorporating new language structures into their repertoire and
using them in a variety of contexts, students develop language
fluency and proficiency. Positive learning experiences in
language-rich environments enable students to leave school with a
desire to continue to extend their knowledge, skills and
interests.

Learning requires meaning. We learn when we use what we know to

understand what is new. Start with what the students know; use
that to introduce new concepts. They use language to examine new
experiences and knowledge in relation to their prior knowledge,
experiences, and beliefs. They make connections, anticipate
possibilities, reflect upon ideas, and determine courses of
action.

Learners learn about language and how to use it effectively

through their engagement with and study of texts. The term ‘text’
refers to any form of written (reading and writing), oral
(listening and speaking) and visual communication involving
language. The texts through which students learn about language
are wide-ranging and varied, from brief conversations to lengthy
and complex forms of writing. The study of specific texts is the
means by which learners achieve the desired outcomes of language,
rather than an end in itself. Learners learn to create texts of
their own and to engage with texts produced by other people.
Successful language learning involves viewing, listening,
speaking, reading and writing activities. Language learning
should include a plethora of strategies and activities that helps
students focus on both MEANING and ACCURACY.

Language learning involves recognizing, accepting, valuing and

building on students’ existing language competence, including the
use of non-standard forms of the language, and extending the
range of language available to students. Through language
learning, learners develop functional and critical literacy
skills. They learn to control and understand the conventions of
the target language that are valued and rewarded by society and
to reflect on and critically analyze their own use of language
and the language of others.

An effective language arts and multiliteracies curriculum

satisfies the following principles.

1. develops thinking and language through interactive learning;

2. develops communicative competence and critical literacy;
3. draws on literature in order to develop students’
understanding of their literary heritage;
4. draws on informational texts and multimedia in order to
build academic vocabulary and strong content knowledge;
5. 5. develops students’ oral language and literacy through
appropriately challenging learning;
6. emphasizes writing arguments, explanatory/informative texts
and narratives;
7. provides explicit skill instruction in reading and writing;
8. builds on the language, experiences, knowledge and interests
that students bring to school;
9. nurtures students’ sense of their common ground in using
language/s for communication as present or future global
citizens to prepare them to participate in school and in
civic life, and;
10. Assesses and reflects the students’ ability to interpret
and/or communicate in the target