25.3799, Review: Applied Linguistics: Silveer and Lwin (eds.) (2013)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-25-3799. Mon Sep 29 2014. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 25.3799, Review: Applied Linguistics: Silveer and Lwin (eds.) (2013)

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Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 12:32:45
From: Martin Gitterman [mgitterman at gc.cuny.edu]
Subject: Language in Education

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Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/25/25-324.html

AUTHOR: Rita Elaine Silver
AUTHOR: Soe Marlar Lwin
TITLE: Language in Education
SUBTITLE: Social Implications
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Publishing (formerly The Continuum International Publishing Group)
YEAR: 2013

REVIEWER: Martin R. Gitterman, City University of New York

Review's editor: Anthony Aristar

SUMMARY

This volume of nine chapters provides an introductory overview of the
importance of language, examined from various perspectives, to educators. The
chapters, with the exception of the first, contain a section (“Relevance to
Educational Settings”) aimed at concretizing this basic theme of the book. The
book also contains a useful glossary.

Chapter 1 (“What is the Role of Language in Education?”) by So Marlar Lwin and
Rita Elaine Silver presents basic introductory material on language and, more
specifically, on language and education, and in so doing lays the groundwork
for the topics to be covered in the remaining chapters of the book. It is
noted that knowledge of a language extends well beyond simply knowing
vocabulary and rules of grammar, leading to mention of language use in
particular social settings. A sense of the nature of language is provided by
explaining some of the characteristics of language proposed by Hockett (1960),
emphasizing how human language is unique and readily delineated from systems
of communication in non-­human species. Productivity, to provide one such
example, is a reference to the unbound creativity unique to human language.
That is, no human language is limited to a finite number of potential
utterances. It is argued that teachers should be knowledgeable about language,
including an awareness of its cultural dimension as well as language
varieties. In reference to the target audience of the book, Lwin and Silver
state, “In particular, it is intended for prospective teachers (undergraduate
or graduate) who are not specialists in linguistics or language learning, but
who are interested in knowing more about how language is used, taught and
learned in educational settings.” (p. 13). This introductory chapter also
includes a very brief summary of each of the chapters in the book.

Chapter 2 (“What is the Structure of Language?”) by Lubna Alsagoff and Ho Chee
Lick presents a general introduction to some of the critical sub­-fields that
constitute the discipline of linguistics. The authors note that teachers
should have a conscious awareness of the fundamental concepts of linguistics.
The topics addressed include phonetics (the sounds of language). The
classification of consonants is discussed in terms of place of articulation,
manner of articulation, and voicing. Vowels are discussed with reference to
the position of the tongue and lips as well as vowel length. The discussion of
the structure of words (morphology) addresses affixation (both inflectional
and derivational processes) and compounding. Treatment of word order (syntax)
provides a very basic introduction to sentence formation and includes a
discussion of constituents and phrase-­structure trees. The section on meaning
in language (semantics) touches on synonyms, ambiguity (both lexical and
structural) as well as coherence in a stream of discourse (with a particular
focus on connectives, e.g., “in addition”, “however”, “therefore”).

In chapter 3 (“How Do We Use Language to Make Meaning?”) Soe Marlar Lwin and
Peter Teo elaborate on the concept of text, delineating cohesion from
coherence in an attempt to clarify the requisite attributes of text. In
drawing attention to types of text, distinctions are drawn between written and
spoken texts. Recognizing advances in technology, the role of new-­media texts
and their “hybrid nature” (see p. 52) are noted. In their discussion of the
multi­-faceted dimension of language use, the authors provide a broad
framework including reference to frequently cited works (e.g., Grice, 1975;
Searle 1992) and highlight the cross­cultural domain of language use. To
stress that language is a very potent tool, it is asserted, “Power as it is
transmitted and reinforced through language is...a much more pervasive
phenomenon in society than what most people think” (p. 63). The
cross-­cultural dimension of conveying meaning is argued to be of particular
importance to educators.

Chapter 4 (“Why Is There Variation within a Language?”) by Anthea Fraser Gupta
expands on the notion of standard varieties/dialects, providing examples to
help differentiate Standard English from other varieties of English.
Importantly, the chapter makes clear that dialects differ from each other, but
that these differences do not represent deficiencies in any dialect. The
concepts of regional and social dialects are explained. The explanation of the
former includes an illustration (with a map as a visual aid) of lexical
differences based on region; the latter is explained with reference to Labov’s
(1966) seminal work on dialect variation in New York City.

Chapter 5 (“How Do Children Learn Language?”) by Theres Grüter provides an
overview of first language acquisition supplemented by comments on second
language acquisition highlighting the relationship between these two
processes. The treatment of child language acquisition emphasizes the role of
experience in determining vocabulary development. Both biological and
environmental factors are noted to be instrumental in language development.
Regarding the biological predisposition for language acquisition Grüter
asserts, “The precise nature and evolution of this predisposition is a matter
of intense debate among linguists and psychologists” (p. 90). The chapter
includes explanations of some of the commonly referred to
stages/characteristics of first language acquisition (e.g., babbling, the
one­-word stage, the two­-word stage). The discussion of second language
acquisition includes mention of a number of issues that have been the focus of
major research in the field (e.g., the critical period).

In Chapter 6 (“How Do Speaking and Writing Support Each Other?”) Christine C.
M. Goh and Paul Grahame Doyle present an overview contrasting the
characteristics of speaking and writing. Speaking, for example, generally
entails less planning and is shaped by the ongoing flow of communication. The
writing process, it is pointed out, generally lacks such spontaneity and
permits a number of revisions. Written communication is likely to be more
polished, with speech containing, for example, utterances that are not
well­-formed. The characteristics of speech and writing are also
context-­dependent so differences are not always as evident. The development
of speaking and writing - and their relationship - in children is addressed by
providing examples, with accompanying analyses. The type of speech directed to
young children at home is reported to be related to the development of
literacy in the school setting. Suggestions for teachers are discussed.

Chapter 7 (“How Is Language Used for Learning?”) by Rita Elaine Silver,
Raslinda A. R. and Galyna Kogut stresses the importance of language use in the
classroom in all subject areas. In effect, all classes are, in some measure,
language classes and require instructors to have a degree of sophistication
about language and its use. In mathematics classes, for example, it must be
determined whether difficulties a student is having result from insufficient
skills in mathematics or from an inability to understand the wording of
particular problems. Writing is encouraged as a component in all classes,
including mathematics. It is asserted, “As students are pushed to put their
thinking into words, they also clarify their ideas” (p. 127). Also included in
the chapter are excerpts of classroom communication with an analysis of
statements made by the teachers and mention of the ways such communication
could be improved/varied. An excerpt is also provided of students speaking to
each other during a class activity assigned by the teacher. The excerpt serves
a pivotal role in the discussion of the importance of incorporating
appropriate student speaking activities in the classroom.

Chapter 8 (“How Do People Use Different Languages Differently?”) by Manka M.
Varghese and Rukmini Becerra Lubies treats bilingualism from various
perspectives, emphasizing that bilingualism is a complex phenomenon. It is
reported that knowing more than one language is advantageous, and noted this
fact is now widely recognized. Determining who is, in fact, bilingual is not a
simple matter. To provide a picture of the complex domain of bilingualism the
author draw on concepts and issues that have been discussed in the literature
(e.g., simultaneous versus sequential bilingualism, the critical period, code
switching, translanguaging ). The school is viewed as an environment where
bilingualism should be supported. The status of bilingualism in different
societies is addressed.

The book concludes with Chapter 9 (“How Does Policy Influence Language in
Education?”) by Francis M. Hult. The term “policy” is argued to be
broad-­based. More specifically, Hult states, “In fact, a range of individuals
are involved in making, interpreting, and implementing educational language
policy other than legislators and education ministers: teachers,
administrators, parents, textbook publishers, curriculum developers and the
list goes on” (p. 159). Planning and policy are illustrated with pertinent
examples. Table 9.1 (p. 116) facilitates comprehension of the scope and nature
of planning and policy. It is argued that teachers have a critical role to
play in educational policy and a list of what teachers should be aware of
regarding policy is presented.

EVALUATION

This collection of readings is an important addition to the literature
addressing the link between language and education, an area of study, all
would agree, is in need of ongoing research and attention. The book contains
numerous commendable features, among which is the inclusion of a wide range of
essential topics, all covered in a substantive manner, yet one that is easily
accessible to the non-­specialist. Educators who reflect on the issues
addressed in this collection will have a much greater understanding of
language and, of particular significance, how language-­related matters are an
integral part of the educational process. To the extent that these issues
motivate continued thought, discussion, and, it is hoped, action, the result
can only be improved instruction. In short, the editors of this volume have
achieved their goal.

The volume includes some of the core content of basic linguistics (e.g.,
phonetics, syntax, morphology), noting its importance to educators (see, in
particular, chapter 2). The inclusion of content of a more theoretical nature
in addition to material of a more applied nature (the primary focus of the
book) provides a broader framework for the reader. Each chapter in the book
addresses a topic of importance and, while the content across chapters varies
significantly, the chapters all contribute logically to a unified theme. Given
the diversity of students and language varieties represented in schools,
addressing the topic of language differences is critical. The book makes
clear, as is uniformly recognized by researchers, that dialect differences are
not deficiencies. Standard dialects, although taught in schools, are not
linguistically superior to other dialects (see chapter 4). Similarly,
cross­-cultural understanding is fostered in the discussion of speech acts
(see chapter 3). Regarding students whose first language is different from the
language used in school (and consistent with the viewpoint held by applied
linguists), instructors are appropriately advised that maintenance of first
languages is advantageous and that bilingualism is a desirable goal (see
chapter 8). While specific issues of major importance could be indicated for
each of the chapters in the book, the items listed above are representative
and highlight the usefulness of this collection to educators. The overall
appeal of this book is also enhanced by the many thought-­provoking questions
(“Discussion and Reflection Questions”) and suggested additional references,
including online sources (“Recommended Reading and Viewing”) found at chapter
endings.

Some issues treated in the volume could have been expanded upon a bit more,
thus adding to an already clear and informative presentation. The examples
below are not intended to imply weaknesses of the book, but rather are offered
as constructive suggestions. In the discussion of types of errors made by
second language learners, it is indicated that some errors are based on
transfer (imposing some aspect of a given first language on a second
language); in other cases, the performance of second language learners is
consistent across speakers of various first languages (see p. 101). It would
have been useful here to point out and illustrate the long historical effort
aimed at understanding error-­types. Reference to some frequently cited works
of related interest (e.g., Dulay and Burt, 1974, one of the numerous morpheme
studies) would have been instructive. On a related note, additional
elaboration would have been useful in comparing speech and writing. In speech,
it is stated, “Not all sentences are well formed and there are redundancies,
repetitions and hesitations” (p. 107). This would have been an ideal point to
incorporate the competence versus performance distinction (a bedrock contrast
of linguistic theory) in the explanation.

A couple editing issues (related to typographical errors) can be raised. Both
“...a context in which students from different home languages study English
language...” (p. 126) and “Nowadays, this phenomenon is studied from different
disciplines: sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, sociology and psychology,
among others” (p. 154) need some revision.

In sum, this is an excellent collection of readings. It is hoped that it
reaches a wide audience.

REFERENCES

Dulay, H. and M. Burt. 1974. Natural sequences in child second language
acquisition. Language Learning 24. 37­53.

Grice, P. 1975. Logic and conversation. in P. Cole and J. Morgan (eds.),
Syntax and Semantics, vol. 3: Speech Acts, 41­58. New York: Academic Press.

Hockett, C. 1960. The origin of speech. Scientific American 203 (3). 88­96.

Labov, W. 1966. The Social Stratification of English in New York City.
Washington, DC: The Center for Applied Linguistics.

Searle, J. 1992. The Rediscovery of the Mind. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT
Press.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Martin R. Gitterman is Professor Emeritus, Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences,
Lehman College and The Graduate Center, The City University of New York. His
areas of specialization include applied linguistics, second language
acquisition, bilingualism and aphasiology. He served as Executive Officer of
the Ph.D Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences at The Graduate Center
for six years (2003-2009). His specific interests include language pedagogy
and aphasiology.








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