Subject: Theories of Language Description

Topic: Applications of Structuralism

Submitted to: Ma’am Sumaira Hina

Submitted by: Humara Aakfah Riyadh

Roll No. 01161026

M Phil Applied Linguistics

Briefly introduction:
Structural theory has a mechanical procedure, the term structuralism means that each language is regarded
as a system of relations of a set of inter selected system, the elements of which sound, words, concepts etc
have no validity independently of the relations of equivalence and contrast which hold between them.
Any sentence of a language may represented as a particular arrangement of the constituent, minimal
grammatical elements, of which it composed when we study of the spoken language, we use inductive
method of analyzing from to meaning. Grammar works as a device through which words are combined
into larger units of discourse.

Basic assumption of structural theory:

 Priority of the spoken languages
 Objective treatment of all languages is common universal properties
 Importance of synchronic description
 Empirical evidence based system
 Clear distinction between language and utterance

Significance:
1. To provide awareness to teacher will be able in choosing methodology according to the cognitive
condition of learner.
2. It will suggest the appropriate services and techniques to learner.
3. It will encourage the teacher to diagnosis learning problems and provide solution.
4. New knowledge will be generated by the learners in the social context through descriptive
approach.
5. To increase self confidence potential ability of hearing progressively and gradually.
6. To build strong interaction of the learner with his society.
7. Teacher can see the strengths, the weaknesses and the intellectual functioning of the brain of the
learner in initiative way.
8. Learner is able to generate initiative number o sentences from a finite set of items.
9. It is an upward process of thought and leads to principles.
10. Improves long term retention and increases transfer.

Application of structuralism:
Structural theory is based on formal and factual study of language that studied language as a mirror of
culture. Since no two cultures alike, no two languages are alike. Methodology did not affect learners if it
could have no reflection of society. So correlation between concept, symbol and referent are essential.
The desired information about subject are selected that highlight the individual perception by which
learners organize and interpret their sensory impression in order to give meaning to their environment.
 Meaning as naming a thing in real life
 Meaning as sensing a thing in real life
 Words are dependent but language is independent

So, things cannot be understand I isolation language have to seen in the context of the larger structure
because word is based on language. Structuralism has inductive method for teaching. Instruction makes
use of student “noticing”. Instead of explaining a given concept and following this explanation. For
example the teacher presents students with many examples showing how the concept is used. The intent is
for students to “notice” by way of the examples, how the concept works.

Inductive method preparation (teacher)

Presentation of examples by teacher

Comparison abstraction and observation by learners

Generalization by learners

Application learner, the rule is given only after the learner has induced the underlying framework for the
rule.

Step -1: Presentation of examples:

In this step teacher may presents many examples of some type and solutions of these specific examples
are obtained with the help of students.
 What time is it?
 Do you like reading?
 What grade are you in?

Step -2: Observation:

After getting the solution students observe these and try to reach to some conclusion.

e.g. students are able to understand that for making questions statement, helping verbs come first and after
completing the statement question make is used.

Step -3: Generalization:

Students generate initiate sentences on this structure from infinite sentence.

So learner draws his own experience and prior knowledge through which students interact with the
environment by exploring and generating number of concepts on specific structural rules.

It is believed that the rules become clear if the students are given enough appropriate examples and
students discover the grammar rules themselves while engaged in language.

Students are involved actively. Teacher used to call students one by one and write sentence on the
whiteboard. It produces motivation and students participate actively and to give new concepts and
generate number of sentences. Student learning goes bottom to up means simple to complex and it
reduces the element of anxiety.