Publisher's Synopsis
Applied Linguistics is concerned with practical issues involving language in the life of the community. The most important of these is the learning of second or foreign languages. Others include language policy, multilingualism, language education, the preservation and revival of endangered languages, and the assessment and treatment of language difficulties. In recent years we have witnessed a considerable disunity in using the term applied linguistics for designating academic courses at universities or teacher training institutions. Over the last decade, applied linguists have paid increasing attention to questions such as these, as have scholars in such related fields as second language acquisition (SLA), language education, and sociolinguistics. Studies examining the links between learner identities and language-learning contexts have revealed that the ways learners define themselves, are defined by others, and are positioned in social interaction have an observable impact on their learning experiences. This monograph has contributed to advancing new theoretical insights on identity construction in language-learning situations. There is no doubt that early applied linguistics was largely associated with language teaching and learning, seeking to bridge the gap between the theoretical achievements of linguistics and the reality of classroom pedagogical practice. The pedagogical preoccupation of applied linguistics gradually gave way to a more extensive focus by including more aspects of the academic study of language. Since the 1980s, the term has begun to be used to refer to any area of study that is language-related, and the growing diversity of the field may be noted. With regard to these latest developments in applied linguistics, and considering major issues within its focus, it seems reasonable for educational institutions to reserve the term 'applied linguistics' for the large area of interdisciplinary language-related study, while all relevant issues related to its educational application and classroom work be reserved for language teaching methodology. Applying Linguistics in the Classroom- A Sociocultural Approach looks at language issues in the classroom through an applied sociocultural perspective focused on how language functions in society and in schools-how it is used, for what purposes, and how teachers can understand their students' language practices. Making linguistics accessible and relevant to all teachers, this text looks at language issues in the classroom through an applied sociocultural perspective focused on how language functions in society and in schools-how it is used, for what purposes, and how teachers can understand their students' language practices.
