LANGUAGE ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

Sample from the book:

LANGUAGE ACROSS THE CURRICULUM &

UNDERSTANDING DISCIPLINE AND SUBJECTS

Dr. Santhosh Areekkuzhiyil

Asst. professor,

Govt. Brennen College of Teacher Education, Thalassery,

(Research Centre, kannur University)

kannur, Kerala

santhoshclt@gmail.com

09447847053

LANGUAGE ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

1.1. Language, Communication and Discourse

Communication is an outward extension of thought. It helps in the process of arranging thought, linking one idea to another. Communication includes both verbal (that is, language in written and spoken form) and non-verbal (that is, language in conventional symbols and ways of representation through drawing and diagrams) forms.

But in educational context, to understand the significance of language in a deeper way we need to examine it in a multi-dimensional space, giving due importance to its structural, literary, sociological, cultural, psychological, and aesthetic aspects. Formally, language is seen as the pairing of a lexicon and a set of syntactic rules, where it is systematically governed at the level of sounds, words, and sentences.

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Communication is called for when the language user recognizes a situation which requires the conveyance of information to establish a convergence of knowledge, so that this situation can be changed in some way. This transaction requires the negotiation of meaning through interaction. This negotiation is referred to as discourse. The use of language in any classroom is interesting from an educational point of view because education itself is conducted fundamentally through the medium of language. Classroom Discourse is a special type of discourse that occurs in classrooms. Special features of classroom discourse include: unequal power relationships, turn-taking at speaking, patterns of interaction, etc. Classroom discourse is often different in form and function from language used in other situations because of particular social roles which learners and teachers have in classrooms and the kind of activities they usually carry out there.

1.2. Language across the Curriculum (LAC)

Teaching and learning cannot take place in a language free environment. Assumptions about the language and literacy background of students influence classroom interactions, pedagogical decisions and the nature of students’ learning. Thus, it is important to understand their language background and know how oral and written language can be used in the classroom to ensure optimal learning of the subject area (NCTE, 2014). Teachers should be sensitive to the language diversity that exists in the classrooms.

Language education is not confined to the language classroom. A science, social science or mathematics class is ipso facto a language class. Learning the subject means learning the terminology, understanding the concepts, and being able to discuss and write about them critically. For some topics, students should be encouraged to consult books or talk to people in different languages, or gather material in English from the Internet. Such a policy of languages across the curriculum will foster a genuine multilingualism in the school. At the same time, the language class offers some unique opportunities. Stories, poems, songs and drama link children to their cultural heritage, and also give them an opportunity to understand their own experiences and to develop sensitivity to others. Children may effortlessly abstract more grammar from such activities than through explicit and often boring grammar lessons (NCF, 2005).

1.2.1. Origins and Aims of Language across the Curriculum (LAC)

The Language across the Curriculum (LAC) movement follows the example set by the Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) movement of the 1980s, which sought to use writing as a central learning tool in classes outside the English department. Rather than relegating writing instruction to classes in literature or composition, WAC provides advice and assistance to students for the inculcation of the skills needed for writing in each curricular specialty. Similarly, LAC works with faculty to identify the specific vocabulary and genres that students need in order to function effectively in another language in their respective disciplines (Fichera & Straight, 1997).

            LAC also draws upon the content-based language instruction movement of the 1990s.  Instruction that emphasizes purposeful comprehension and communicative production yields superior receptive and expressive accuracy, complexity, and fluency. In brief, students who learn language for a purpose learn it better.

            LAC aims to facilitate the use of languages in a variety of meaningful contexts and to motivate and reward students for using their multilingual skills in every class they take at each level in the university curriculum, thus preparing them for the cross-cultural and multilingual demands and opportunities of a global society (Consortium for Languages Across the Curriculum, 1996).

1.2.2. Why Language across the Curriculum

1.2.3. Principles and Practice of LAC Approach in Classrooms

1.2.4. Benefits of LAC approach

1.2.5. Role of Subjects Teacher and Language Teachers in LAC

1.3. Classroom Discourse

Analysis of the patterns of interaction characteristic of most classrooms has shown that, on average, teachers talk for more than two-thirds of the time, a few students contribute most of the answers, boys talk more than girls, and those sitting in the front and center of the class are more likely to contribute than those sitting at the back and sides. Bracha Alpert has identified three different patterns of classroom discourse:  (i) Silent (the teacher talks almost all the time and asks only an occasional question), (ii) Controlled (as in the excerpt above), and (iii) Active (the teacher facilitates while the students talk primarily to each other). Recent attempts to reform teaching based on constructivist views of learning have called for teachers to ask fewer questions and for students to learn to state and justify their beliefs and argue constructively about reasons and evidence.

One fundamental aspect of classroom discourse is that the teacher talks most of the time. Neil Mercer (1995) notes that about 65% of the time the teacher talks and about 70% of teacher talk consists of lecturing or asking questions. In other words, there is an asymmetry in classroom talk, with teacher talk dominant.

Other content area of this Unit include……..

1.3.1. Features of Classrooms

Types of Classroom Discourses

1.4. Mother-Tongue Education (Home/First language(s) Education)

1.4.2. Minor, Minority and Tribal Languages

1.5. Acquisition of English as foreign Language/ Second language

1.6. Multilingual and Bilingual Education