Collected terminology from class (Aufbaumodule)

English Didactics
Educational Terminology
Online Resources for ELT
Online Journals for Foreign Language Teaching
Literary Research for Didactics
Secondary Literature for ELT

The following terms were collected during "Aufbaumodule" and may be helpful to you in the framework of English didactics. Please feel free to add any terms or definitions you may find and/or links to helpful websites. Please always state your sources!

außerschulisch = extracurricular

• Used when referring to out-of-school activities such as sports or clubs.

(Prinzip der) Authentizität = authenticity

• (see: Defining Authenticity)

Kontextualisierung = contextualization

Contextualization is the process of assigning meaning, either linguistic or as a means of interpreting the environment within which an expression or action is executed.

In Sociolinguistics contextualization comprises all activities by participants which make relevant, maintain, revise, cancel, etc. any aspect of context which, in turn, is responsible for the interpretation of an utterance in its particular locus of occurrence. Such aspects might be the speech genre, the speech act, mood, topic, roles, social relationships, etc.

In the classroom contextualization means the contextual embedment of a speech act by the use of realia, pictures, headlines, etc. Thematic focal points that the students can relate to (e.g. Carol’s spare time) create the context in which a speech act can be recognized as an attempt to communicate (e.g. talking about free time).

Sources:

• Peter Auer. Introduction: John Gumperz’ Approach to Contextualization
• Gehring, Wolfgang. Englische Fachdidaktik. Eine Einführung. Berlin, 2004.

Kooperatives Lernen = cooperative learning

• (see: Cooperative Learning and the Second Language Classroom by Allison Chafe)

Lernerorientierung = learner-centeredness

Learner-centeredness is an influential concept strongly connected to Communicative Language Teaching. It places the student at the centre of education, in a way that they are involved in decisions on content selection (curriculum), methodology, and evaluation. Additionally, it moves the teacher from the source of knowledge to the status of a facilitator or manager of learning situations.

Learners should be sensitized to their own learning processes so that they can develop their own appropriate strategies. Goals and content of tasks should be made comprehensible, thus enabling the learners to make their own informed choices about what they want to learn and how they want to learn.

This creates a freedom which should ultimately provide the basis for learning throughout life and for including the individual’s context. Greater autonomy and control for the learner seem to be key terms.

The concept of learner-centeredness also stresses that the learning outcome is influenced by the perceptions of the learner. Students often have a different view on tasks than the teacher does. This should be taken into consideration.

It is also important to point out that learner-centeredness is not seen as an "all-or-nothing" concept, but is supposed to be a continuum that moves from "less- to more learner-centered".

Übungstypen:

• Creativity: Übungen, die Schüler zu kreativem, schöpferischem Sprachhandeln herausfordern
• Autonomy: Übungen, die selbständiges Handeln in die Wege leiten
• Exploration: Übungen, die forschendes Lernen beinhalten
• Insight: Übungen die helfen, Inhalte zu erschließen und eigene Vorstellungen zu einem Thema zu entwickeln

Sources:

• David Hall, Ann Hewings, 2001 – Innovation in English Language Teaching: A Reader
• David Nunan, 2004 – Task-based Language Teaching: a comprehensively revised edition of designing tasks for the communicative classroom
• David Nunan, The learner-centered curriculum, 1988, Cambridge Applied Linguistic
• [http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/tojde4/pulisttxt.html Learner-Centredness:

An Issue of Institutional Policy in the context of Distance Education]

• Weskamp, Ralf. "Fachdidaktik: Grundlagen & Konzepte" Berlin: Cornelsen, 2001
• Deller, Sheelagh. "Lessons from the Learner" Canterbury: Longman 1990

Sprachbewusstheit = language awareness

„Language awareness is about raising awareness of grammar already possessed, and consciousness raising is about raising awareness of grammar yet to be acquired.” (Sharwood Smith 1997: 31)

Sprachbewusstsein = consciousness raising

„Language awareness is about raising awareness of grammar already possessed, and consciousness raising is about raising awareness of grammar yet to be acquired.” (Sharwood Smith 1997: 31)