LESSON 2: Key Concepts of English Language Teaching

I. The Philosophy and Rationale of English Language Teaching & Learning

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.

Language is the foundation of all human relationships. All human relationships are
established on the ability of people to communicate effectively with each other. Our thoughts, values
and understandings are developed and expressed through language. This process allows students to
understand better the world in which they live and contributes to the development of their personal
perspectives of the global community. People use language to make sense of and bring order to
their world. Therefore, proficiency in the language enables people to access, process and keep
abreast of information, to engage with the wider and more diverse communities, and to learn about
the role of language in their own lives, and in their own and other cultures.

II. 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)2. 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 language4. 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 multi-literacies 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. 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 language
III. The End Goals of English Language Teaching & Learning

The ultimate goal of the Language Arts and Multi-literacies Curriculum is to produce graduates
who apply the language conventions, principles, strategies and skills in (1) interacting with others, (2)
understanding and learning other content areas, and (3) fending for themselves in whatever field of
endeavor they may engage in.

1. Communicative Competence
Communicative Competence is a synthesis of knowledge of basic grammatical principles,
knowledge of how language is used in social settings to perform communicative functions, and how
knowledge of utterances and communicative functions can be combined according to the principles of
discourse.

Communicative competence is classified into the following competencies:

 Grammatical/Linguistic Competence means the acquisition of phonological rules,

morphological words, syntactic rules, semantic rules and lexical items.
 Sociolinguistic Competence refers to the learning of pragmatic aspect of various speech
acts, namely, the cultural values, norms, and other socio-cultural conventions in social
contexts. They are the context and topic of discourse, the participant’s social status, sex, age,
and other factors which influence styles and registers of speech. Since different situations call
for different types of expressions as well as different beliefs, views, values, and attitudes, the
development of sociolinguistic competence is essential for communicative social action.
 Discourse Competence is the knowledge of rules regarding the cohesion (grammatical links)
and coherence (appropriate combination of communicative actions) of various types of
discourse (oral and written). Sociolinguistic rules of use and rules of discourse are crucial in
interpreting utterances for social meaning, particularly when the literal meaning of an
utterance does not lead to the speaker’s intention easily.
 Strategic Competence is to DO with the knowledge of verbal and non-verbal strategies to
compensate for breakdown such as self-correction and at the same time to enhance the
effectiveness of communication such as recognizing discourse structure, activating
background knowledge, contextual guessing, and tolerating ambiguity.

2. Multiliteracies
Multiliteracies (multi literacy practices) recognize that there are many kinds of literacy at work
within our society. These include traditional literacy practices using texts as well as new literacy
practices using texts of popular culture such as films. Social literacy encompasses how we
communicate and exchange meaning in our society while professional literacy links with the notion
of literacy for school of the workplace.

The curriculum aims to help learners acquire highly-developed literacy skills that enable them
to understand that English language is the most widely used medium of communication in Trade and
the Arts, Sciences, Mathematics, and in world economy. Furthermore, the curriculum aims to help
learners understand that English language is a dynamic social process which responds to and
reflects changing social conditions, and that English is inextricably involved with values, beliefs and
ways of thinking about ourselves and the world we dwell in. Through multi-literacy skills, learners will
be able to appreciate and be sensitive to sociocultural diversity and understand that the meaning of
any form of communication depends on context, purpose and audience.