Handbook of Foreign Language Communication and Learning

✍ Scribed by Karlfried Knapp (editor); Barbara Seidlhofer (editor); Henry Widdowson (editor)

• Publisher: De Gruyter Mouton
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 752
• Series: Handbooks of Applied Linguistics [HAL]; 6
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This volume focuses on how far the policies, principles and practices of foreign language teaching and learning are, or can be, informed by theoretical considerations and empirical findings from the linguistic disciplines. Part I deals with the nature of foreign language learning in general, while Part II explores issues arising from linguistic, socio-political, cultural and cognitive perspectives. Part III and IV then consider the different factors that have to be taken into account in designing the foreign language subject and the various approaches to pedagogy that have been proposed. Part V finally addresses questions concerning assessment of learner proficiency and the evaluation of courses designed to promote it.

Key features:

• provides a state-of-the-art description of different areas in the context of foreign language communication and learning
• presents a critical appraisal of the relevance of the field
• offers solutions to everyday language-related problems
• with contributions from renowned experts

✦ Table of Contents

Frontmatter
Contents
1. Introduction. Developing foreign language communication: Principles and practices
2. What makes a language foreign?
3. Multilingualism and foreign language learning
4. Foreign language teaching and educational policy
5. Learning and teaching multiple languages
6. Developing links between second language acquisition research and language teaching
7. Language awareness
8. The linguistic perspective
9. Cultural perspectives on language learning and teaching
10. The political perspective
11. The cognitive perspective: Age effects and/or critical periods?
12. Foreign language syllabus design
13. The methodology of foreign language teaching: Methods, approaches, principles
14. Autonomous language learning
15. Teaching the spoken foreign language
16. Teaching the written foreign language
17. Principles of approach
18. Communicative language teaching
19. Language for specific purposes vs. general language
20. Content and language integrated learning
21. Computer assisted foreign language learning
22. Principles of testing and assessment
23. Issues in certification
24. Evaluation and learning in language programmes
Backmatter