ENG504 Glossary

1. Acceptability :The quality of being tolerated or allowed. In linguistics it refers to a characteristic of good test.
2. Access to Native Speakers :The opportunity to interact with native speakers both within and outside of the classroom is a significant advantage. Native speakers are linguistic models and can provide appropriate feedback.
3. Acculturation :Acculturation is the process of social, psychological, and cultural change that stems from blending between cultures.
4. Acquisition :Acquisition is the ‘subconscious’ process identical to the process of first language learning.
5. Activity Theory :It considers an entire work/activity system (including teams, organizations, etc.) beyond just one actor or user.
6. Affective Domain :The affective domain (Krathwohl, Bloom, Masia, 1973) includes the manner in which we deal with things emotionally, such as feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms, motivations, and attitudes.
7. Age :Second language acquisition is influenced by the age of the learner.
8. Approach :An approach consists of a task hierarchy regarding when and how presentational and instructional activities are employed.
9. Assimilation :A child modifies input from the environment so that s/he can easily retain it.

10. Audio-Lingual Method :An approach to second language instruction based on Behaviorist learning theory that stresses memorization and pattern drills to attain mastery of the language. 11. Authentic Materials :The materials created in the target language for a target language audience. 12. Autonomous :Having the freedom to act independently. 13. Autonomous Induction Theory :Autonomous Induction theory by Suzanne Carroll (2000) acknowledges the existence of UG as the initial state for language acquisition and also notices the language processing mechanisms such as parsers (instead of LAD) in the gradual development of inter-languages. 14. Behaviourism :A psychological theory that all learning, whether verbal or non-verbal takes place through the establishment of habits. o Bilingual Education :Schooling in which students receive instruction in two or more languages, usually their home language and a second language. 15. Categories :Pre-defined taxonomies used to sort and group content into different sections. 16. Cognition :In general, it seems that students with greater cognitive abilities (intelligence) will make the faster progress. Some linguists believe that regardless of cognitive abilities, there is a specific, innate language learning ability that is stronger in some students than in others. 17. Cognitive Domain :The cognitive domain involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills. This includes the recall or recognition of specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that serve in the development of intellectual abilities and skills. 18. Cognitivist :A research approach that emphasizes how the human mind receives, processes, stores and retrieves information in learning and retrieving information. 19. Communication :The act of exchanging thoughts, messages or information by speech, signs or writing. 20. Communicative Activities :The activities include practice in which learners use the language to exchange previously unknown information with one another. 21. Communicative Competence :The ability to use language in a variety of settings, taking into account relationships between speakers and differences in situations. 22. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) :Approach to second language teaching that focus on providing opportunities for student to use the language to interpret and express real-life messages. 23. Competence :Competence is the abstract and hidden representation of language knowledge in our minds. 24. Comprehensible Input :Second language input beyond learners’ current second language competence is known as ‘Comprehensible Input’. 25. Construct :Meaningful interpretation of observed behaviour. o Content :The depth and breadth of the discussion of a topic or theme. 26. Content-Based Instruction :Teaching models that closely relate specific contents to second language teaching. 27. Context :The circumstance or setting in which a person uses the language 28. Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis :The expectation that learners will have less difficulty acquiring target language patterns that are similar to those of their first language than those that are different. 29. Cultural Differences :Cultural differences are the various beliefs, behaviors, languages, practices and expressions considered unique to members of a specific ethnicity, race or national origin. 30. Culture and Status :There is some evidence that students in situations where their own culture has a lower status than that of the culture in which they are learning the language make slower progress.