PKB 3053 ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

METHODOLOGY

TOPIC
1

UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE

1 HR

SYNOPSIS

In this topic you will be exposed to the definition and concept of language,
the communication process, the components of language and the factors
affecting language learning and acquisition.

LEARNING OUTCOME

i.

Understand the definition and concept of language

ii.

Identify aspects of language acquisition and language learning

iii.

Explain the communication process.

iv.

Identify the components of language.

v.

Explain factors affecting language learning

vi.

Explain the assessment of listening comprehension

vii.

Identify and apply techniques of teaching listening comprehension

in different contexts..

PKB 3053 ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

METHODOLOGY
Conceptual Framework of Topics
1.1

Introduction to :Language
Definition
Concept

1.2

1.3
Understanding
Language

1.4

1.1

The Comunication Process

Components of language
1.3.1 Sementics 1.3.4 Syntax
1.3.2 Phonology 1.3.5 Pragnatics
1.3.3 Morphology

Factors affecting language

learning /
acquisition
1.4.1 Cognitive
1.4.2 Environment
1.4.3 Gejala sosial

Introduction to Language
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Language is common to all humans. Many social scientists and
philosophers say its this ability to use language symbolically that makes us
human.
Though it may be a universal human attribute, language is hardly simple.
1.1.1 Definition of Language
Some say it is a body of words and the systems for their use common to a
people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical
area, or the same cultural tradition.
It can also mean communication by voice in the distinctively human
manner, using arbitrary sounds in conventional ways with conventional
meanings.
It is also the system of linguistic signs or symbols considered in the
abstract ( as opposed to speech).
It is any set or system of such symbols as used in a more or less uniform
fashion by a number of people, who are thus enabled to communicate
intelligibly with one another.
It is also any system of formalized symbols, signs, sounds, gestures, or the
like used or conceived as a means of communicating thought, emotion,
etc.It is also the language of mathematics.
1.1.2 Concept of Language
Transformational Genetive Grammara theory developed by Noam
Chomsky between 1950 and 1960 contains the idea that a sentence has
two meanings within it. The two include a deep structure and a surface
structure. The deep structure is the semantic relationships within the
sentence and the surface structure follows the phonological form of the
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sentence. He believed that language did not have the same deep structure
in all languages but rather languages had similarities of structure. In the
1990s, Chomsky changed his theory to a new theory stating that the
structures were no longer the only main components of a sentence. He
suggested that sentence structure included Logical Form and Phonetic
Form. This help children understand that speech can come in the form of
writing.Therefore, we must develop children's understanding that writing is
a message in the form of print and that print is constant. We must also
show that written language is often different from spoken language. We
must teach that numbers, letters and words are different. Teachers must
also show the difference between a letter, a word and a sentence. We
have to help children understand that a letter or letters represent a sound
within a word. We must show them that words form sentences and
sentences form messages or stories. The understanding of the correct
usage of language will enable and ease the communication process.
1.2

The communication process

Communication is a process of exchanging verbal and non verbal

messages. It is a continuous process. Pre-requisite of communication is a
message. This message must be conveyed through some medium to the
recipient. It is essential that this message must be understood by the
recipient in the same terms as intended by the sender. He must respond
within a time frame. Thus, communication is a two way process and is
incomplete without a feedback from the recipient to the sender on how well
the message is understood by him.

PKB 3053 ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

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Communication Process
1.2.1 The main components of communication process are as follows:
1. Context - Communication is affected by the context in which it takes
place. This context may be physical, social, chronological or
cultural. Every communication proceeds with context. The sender
chooses the message to communicate within a context.
2. Sender / Encoder The Sender / Encoder is a person who sends
the message. A sender makes use of symbols (words or graphic or
visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required
response. For instance - a training manager conducting training for
new batch of employees. Sender may be an individual or a group or
an

organization.

The

views,

background,

approach,

skills,

competencies, and knowledge of the sender have a great impact on

the message. The verbal and non verbal symbols chosen are
essential in ascertaining interpretation of the message by the
recipient in the same terms as intended by the sender.

3. Message - Message is a key idea that the sender wants to

communicate. It is a sign that elicits the response of recipient.
Communication process begins with deciding about the message to
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be conveyed. It must be ensured that the main objective of the
message is clear.
4. Medium - Medium is a means used to exchange / transmit the
message. The sender must choose an appropriate medium for
transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed
to the desired recipients. The choice of appropriate medium of
communication is essential for making the message effective and
correctly interpreted by the recipient. This choice of communication
medium varies depending upon the features of communication. For
instance - Written medium is chosen when a message has to be
conveyed to a small group of people, while an oral medium is
chosen when spontaneous feedback is required from the recipient
as misunderstandings are cleared then and there.

5. Recipient / Decoder - Recipient / Decoder is a person for whom

the message is intended / aimed / targeted. The degree to which the
decoder understands the message is dependent upon various
factors such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to the
message, and the reliance of encoder on decoder.

6. Feedback - Feedback is the main component of communication

process as it permits the sender to analyze the efficacy of the
message. It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation
of message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal (through
words) or non-verbal (in form of smiles, sighs, etc.). It may take
written form also in form of memos, reports, etc.

1.2.2

Communication

Barriers

Breakdown
6

Reasons

for

Communication

PKB 3053 ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

METHODOLOGY
Communication is a process beginning with a sender who encodes the
message and passes it through some channel to the receiver who decodes
the message. Communication is fruitful if and only if the messages sent by
the sender are interpreted with the same meaning by the receiver. If any
kind of disturbance blocks any step of communication, the message will be
destroyed. Due to such disturbances, managers in an organization face
severe problems. Thus the managers must locate such barriers and take
steps to get rid of them.
There are several barriers that affects the flow of communication in an
organization. These barriers interrupt the flow of communication from the
sender to the reciever, thus making communication ineffective. It is
essential for managers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers of
communication are summarized below.
The following are the main communication barriers:
1)

Perceptual and Language Differences: Perception is generally

how each individual interprets the world around him. All generally
want to receive messages which are significant to them. But any
message which is against their values is not accepted. A same
event may be taken differently by different individuals. For example:
A person is on leave for a month due to personal reasons (family
member being critical). The HR Manager might be in confusion
whether to retain that employee or not, the immediate manager
might think of replacement because his teams productivity is being
hampered, the family members might take him as an emotional
support.

The linguistic differences also lead to communication breakdown.

Same word may mean different to different individuals. For example:
consider a word value.
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a. What is the value of this Laptop?
b. I value our relation?
c. What is the value of learning technical skills?
Value means different in different sentences. Communication
breakdown occurs if there is wrong perception by the receiver.
2) Information Overload: Managers are surrounded with a pool of
information. It is essential to control this information flow or else the
information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked.
As a result communication is less effective.
3) Inattention: At times we just not listen, but only hear. For example a
traveler may pay attention to one NO PARKING sign, but if such
sign is put all over the city, he no longer listens to it. Thus, repetitive
messages should be ignored for effective communication. Similarly
if a superior is engrossed in his paper work and his subordinate
explains him his problem, the superior may not get what he is
saying and it leads to disappointment of subordinate.
4) Time Pressures: Often in organization the targets have to be
achieved within a specified time period, the failure of which has
adverse consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal
channels of communication are shortened, or messages are
partially given, i.e., not completely transferred. Thus sufficient time
should be given for effective communication.
5) Distraction / Noise: Communication is also affected a lot by noise
to distractions. Physical distractions are also there such as, poor
lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects
communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud speakers
interferes with communication.

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6) Emotions: Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects
communication. If the receiver feels that communicator is angry he
interprets that the information being sent is very bad. While he takes
it differently if the communicator is happy and jovial (in that case the
message is interpreted to be good and interesting).
7) Complexity in Organizational Structure: Greater the hierarchy in
an organization (i.e. more the number of managerial levels), more is
the chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at
the top level can see the overall picture while the people at low level
just have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge
about other areas.
8) Poor retention: Human memory cannot function beyond a limit.
One cant always retain what is being told specially if he is not
interested or not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown.

1.2.2 Overcoming Communication Barriers

There is a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The
message intended by the sender is not understood by the receiver in the
same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is
essential to deal and cope up with these communication barriers so as to
ensure smooth and effective communication.
.
1. Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should
ensure that it is recruiting right individuals on the job. Its the
responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has
command over the written and spoken language. There should be
proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are
clear to all the employees. There should be proper trainings
conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent
training).
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2. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should
be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be
avoided.
3. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main
communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It
is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that
source.
4. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a
difference between listening and hearing. Active listening means
hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By
asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message
is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended
by the speaker.
5. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective
use of body language. He/she should not show their emotions while
communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message
being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is in a
bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being
delivered is not good.
6. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure
should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be
optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the
organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will
be the communication.
7. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to
prioritize their work. They should not overload themselves with the
work. They should spend quality time with their subordinates and
should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively.
8. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The
contents of the feedback might be negative, but it should be
delivered constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective
communication between the superior and subordinate.
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9. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the
medium of communication. Simple messages should be conveyed
orally, like: face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written
means of communication should be encouraged for delivering
complex messages. For significant messages reminders can be
given by using written means of communication such as : Memos,
Notices etc.
10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in
an organization the managers should ensure that the individuals are
meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of
communication. There should not be much pressure on employees
to meet their targets.
1.3

Components of language

Human language involves both receptive and productive use. Receptive

language use occurs during the comprehension or understanding of words
and sentences. Productive language use involves idea generation and the
articulation of words in speech. Both reception and production utilize the
four basic structural components of language:
1.3.1 Semantics
The system of meanings that are expressed by words and phrases. In
order to serve as a means of communication between people, words must
have a shared or conventional meaning. Picking out the correct meaning
for each new word is a major learning task for children.
Not only does the grammatical structure of our language provide the
needed clues for understanding, we also have a wealth of figurative
language and rich description that adds color and nuance to our
communication. Semantics refers to the ways in which a language conveys
meaning.i It is our understanding of semantics that allows us to recognize
that someone who is green with envy has not changed hue, or that
having cold feet has less to do with the appendage at the end of our legs
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and more to do with our anxiety about a new experience. Because
semantics moves beyond the literal meaning of words and is culturedependent, this is among the most difficult aspects of language for
individuals who are not native speakers and even those who speak the
same language but come from different cultures and convey meaning
using words in unique ways. Anyone who has attempted to converse with a
teenager in his own vernacular can appreciate the importance of sharing a
semantic base for communicating clearly.
1.3.2 Phonology
The system of the sound segments that humans use to build up words.
Each language has a different set of these segments or phonemes, and
children quickly come to recognize and then produce the speech segments
that are characteristic of their native language.
The study of speech structure within a language, including both the
patterns of basic speech units and the accepted rules of pronunciation, is
known as phonology.ii The smallest units of sound that make up a
language are called phonemes. For example, the word that contains
three phonemes the th represents one phoneme /th/, the a maps to the
short a sound //, and the t to its basic sound /t/.
1.3.3 Morphology

Moving to the next level of language, we find the study of the smallest units
of meaning, morphemes. Morphemes include base words, such as hat,
dog, or love, as well as affixes, such as un-, re-, the plural s or es,
and the past tense ed. Knowledge of the morphology of our language is
critical to vocabulary development and reflects the smallest building blocks
for comprehension.
1.3.4 Syntax
The study of how individual words and their most basic meaningful units
are combined to create sentences is known as syntax. As words are
grouped together when we communicate, we must follow the rules of
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grammar for our language, in other words, its syntax. It is the knowledge of
syntax that allows us to recognize that the following two sentences, while
containing different word order and levels of complexity, have the same
meaning.

The boy hit the ball.

The ball was hit by the boy.

Syntax also allows us to accept I went to the store as a meaningful

(grammatical) sentence while To store went I would not be acceptable
English.
1.3.5 Pragmatics
The system of patterns that determine how humans can use language in
particular social settings for particular conversational purposes. Children
learn that conversations customarily begin with a greeting, require turn
taking, and concern a shared topic. They come to adjust the content of
their communications to match their listener's interests, knowledge, and
language ability.
Pragmatics refers to the ways the members of the speech
community achieve their goals using language. iii The way we speak to our
parents is not the same as the way we interact with a sibling, for example.
The language used in a formal speech may bear little resemblance to what
we would hear at a lunch with five friends. The conversational style of dayto-day interactions is quite different from the language used even when
reading a storybook to a toddler. Knowing the difference and when to use
which style is the essence of pragmatics.

1.4

Factors affecting language learning / acquisition

Some students learn a new language more quickly and easily than others.
This simple fact is known by all who have themselves learned a second
language or taught those who are using their second language in school.
Clearly, some language learners are successful by virtue of their sheer
determination, hard work and persistence. However there are other crucial
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factors influencing success that are largely beyond the control of the
learner. These factors can be broadly categorized as internal and external.
It is their complex interplay that determines the speed and facility with which
the new language is learned.
Internal factors
Internal factors are those that the individual language learner brings with
him or her to the particular learning situation.
1) Age: Second language acquisition is influenced by the age of the
learner. Children, who already have solid literacy skills in their own
language, seem to be in the best position to acquire a new
language efficiently. Motivated, older learners can be very
successful too, but usually struggle to achieve native-speakerequivalent pronunciation and intonation.
2) Personality: Introverted or anxious learners usually make slower
progress, particularly in the development of oral skills. They are less
likely to take advantage of opportunities to speak, or to seek out
such opportunities. More outgoing students will not worry about the
inevitability of making mistakes. They will take risks, and thus will
give themselves much more practice.
3) Motivation: Intrinsic motivation has been found to correlate strongly
with educational achievement. Clearly, students who enjoy language
learning and take pride in their progress will do better than those
who don't.

Extrinsic motivation is also a significant factor. ESL

students, for example, who need to learn English in order to take a

place at an American university or to communicate with a new
English boy / girl friend are likely to make greater efforts and thus
greater progress.
4) Experiences: Learners who have acquired general knowledge and
experience are in a stronger position to develop a new language
than those who haven't. The student, for example, who has already
lived in 3 different countries and been exposed to various languages
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and cultures has a stronger base for learning a further language
than the student who hasn't had such experiences.
5) Cognition: In general, it seems that students with greater cognitive
abilities will make the faster progress. Some linguists believe that
there is a specific, innate language learning ability that is stronger in
some students than in others.
6) Native language: Students who are learning a second language
which is from the same language family as their first language have,
in general, a much easier task than those who aren't. So, for
example, a Dutch child will learn English more quickly than a
Japanese child.
External factors
External factors are those that characterize the particular language
learning situation.
1) Curriculum: For ESL students in particular it is important that the
totality of their educational experience is appropriate for their needs.
Language learning is less likely to place if students are fully
submersed into the mainstream program without any extra
assistance or, conversely, not allowed to be part of the mainstream
until they have reached a certain level of language proficiency.
2) Instruction: Clearly, some language teachers are better than others
at providing appropriate and effective learning experiences for the
students in their classrooms. These students will make faster
progress.
The same applies to mainstream teachers in second language
situations. The science teacher, for example, who is aware that she
too is responsible for the students' English language development,
and makes certain accommodations, will contribute to their linguistic
development.
3) Culture and status: There is some evidence that students in
situations where their own culture has a lower status than that of the
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culture in which they are learning the language make slower
progress.
4) Motivation: Students who are given continuing, appropriate
encouragment to learn by their teachers and parents will generally
fare better than those who aren't. For example, students from
families that place little importance on language learning are likely
to progress less quickly.
5) Access to native speakers: The opportunity to interact with native
speakers both within and outside of the classroom is a significant
advantage. Native speakers are linguistic models and can provide
appropriate feedback. Clearly, second-language learners who have
no extensive access to native speakers are likely to make slower
progress, particularly in the oral/aural aspects of language
acquisition.
6) "Some students learn a new language more quickly and easily than
others."

Exercise 1
Testing understanding of concepts and reasoning.
Explain barriers of communication. Identify ways for you to overcome this
andtry to relate this problem to language acquisition. Get additional
information form books, journals or articles found in the internet. .
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Congratulations!
You have been very diligent in going through topic one. You will be going through
topic two and so on.
Go for a rest now.

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