Philippine Normal University

National Center for Teacher Education

College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research

Linguistics in Reading

Final Examination

BONJOVI H. HAJAN
M.A.Ed in English Language Teaching
September 17, 2017

1. Using the interactive reading framework below, explain the role of linguistics (and its
core areas) in reading instruction and learning.

Reading is both a mental and a social phenomenon. Knowledge on linguistics and its core
components is pivotal in understanding complex reading materials faced by ESL learners in the
reading contexts. The interactive reading framework shown above seeks to integrate both
psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives of reading, meaning the ability of the reader to
make meanings depends heavily on his mental mechanisms to process the written texts and the
backgrounds where he is from as a reader.

The mental mechanisms I am asserting here requires the good grasp of some linguistic elements
such as the knowledge on morphology (word level), syntax (sentence level mostly dealing with
structure), and semantics (the concern of meanings). This suggests that reading instruction
should devote ample time in activating students prior knowledge and in determining the
knowledge gap from which the teacher can bridge. Complex sentences, for example, may
necessitate students to spend more time than usual to process the information because they are
not structurally trained. In this situation, chunking as a reading strategy may help accomplishing
the goal towards comprehension.

Furthermore, the reading backgrounds I have emphasized above is much likely related to the
sociolinguistic aspects that the students (readers) are accustomed tomeaning, being able to
phrase complex sentences with the help of syntactic parsing is not enough for the students to
make sense of what they read, instead it is necessary to go beyond and look at sentences from a
broader perspective. This is where pragmatics, discourse and sociolinguistics (where meanings
are generally based on contexts) become relevant. The process of meaning-making in reading
will not be successful without the touch on these three higher components of linguistics. The
reading teacher should see to it that he or she takes into account the background of the students
when deciding which reading materials to use, otherwise, the students though morpho-
syntactically aware may find it difficult to decipher meanings.

The whole process of reading is so complex that it requires an integrated knowledge on every
aspect of linguistics for linguistics forms the bedrock of language teaching, including reading.

2. Compare the teaching of reading in a first language situation with that in a second
language situation. Describe how the understanding of basic linguistic concepts helps a
reading teacher in first and second language reading instruction.

Traditionally, Chomsky has claimed that every child is gifted with the mechanism in his brain to
process linguistic complexities, and he calls this, Language Acquisition Device or widely known
as LAD.

3. Develop a research problem with corresponding (three) research questions relevant to the
study of Linguistics and Reading. Back this up with a minimum of two theoretical
concepts that is cogently discussed.

4. Develop a lesson plan for teaching language/reading using the story The Wimmy Wuggen
& the Moggy Tor. The lesson plan in Reading, which should consider instruction in any
Linguistics areas/branches discussed in the class (i.e. phonology, grammar, semantics,
etc.), must highlight comprehension instruction.

The Wimmy Wuggen & the Moggy Tor

Once upon a time, a wimmy Wuggen zonked into the grabbet. Zhe was grolling for poft because
zhe was very blongby.
Thw wimmy Wuggen grolled and grolled until zhe motted a moggy Tor.
Zhe glined to the moggy Tor, Ik am blongby and grolling for poft. Do yum noff mehre ik can
gine some poft?
Kex, glind the Tor, klom with ne, wimmy Wuggen. Ik have lodz of poft in ni bove.
So the Wuggen womt with the Tor to hiz bove. Dhem and Wuggen glind to the Tor, Vhat kind
of poft do yum habt?
And the moggy Tor glind, Yum Wuggen zar excellent poft!