Monday, 31 March 2014

Position paper on language awareness in English language teaching

A position paper on the role that language awareness plays in English
language teaching. This assessment tasks requires you to respond to the issue of language
awareness and respond to the proposition that language awareness is necessary for effective
language teaching
Language awareness is a recognized ?teacher quality? for language teachers (Nunan, 2012). A
definition of language awareness is provided by The Association of Language Awareness:
"Language awareness can be defined as explicit knowledge about language,
and conscious perception and sensitivity in language learning, language
teaching and language use. It covers a wide spectrum of fields. For
example, Language Awareness issues include exploring the benefits that
can be derived from developing a good knowledge about language, a
conscious understanding of how languages work, of how people learn
them and use them"
(http://www.languageawareness.org/web.ala/web/about/tout.php)
In responding to this issue, you are required to reflect on your own language awareness as an
English language teacher (YOU CAN DO WHAT THE LITERATURE SUGGESTED, DO NOT USE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE AS WRITER ) .
As there is a focus on your own experience and reflection, you can include examples from your own teaching and learning experience to support your argument.
The purpose of the assignment is to develop an argument, a ?position?, in relation to the issue
of language awareness for English language teachers. In developing your argument you may
like to consider:
 What does it mean to be ?language aware??
 Why is it important for teachers to have an advanced knowledge of the structure of the
English language?
 Does language awareness lead to better teaching and learning?
 At what point is a teacher ?language aware??
 How might language awareness be important for English language learners?
A useful reading for this assignment is Ch 13 ?What does it mean to be ?language
aware??? in the e-book Learner-centred English language education by Nunan (2012).
As there is a reflective component in this assignment, it is fine to use the first person to describe
your experiences and to reflect on these experiences. However, this is also an academic piece
of work and as such you are expected to draw on the literature to develop your argument and
support your argument.

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