Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition Essay

Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition - Essay Example Language pedagogy has always been my unflinching passion; and my experiences of teaching English as a foreign language primary school pupils (voluntary work in high school), helped me conclusively determine my goals. Observing the process of SLA, I was able to better comprehend the impact of socio-cultural impacts on learning and receptivity. Various elements such as critical age influence, personal motivations, and the overall environment –including social and domestic settings – in which these pupils were learning, combined to create their own dynamic reception framework. I realized that the role of a teacher is not only challenging but also essential in facilitating the development of linguistic skills and effective communication. Indeed, as Sir Christopher Ball put it â€Å"successful teaching is about winning the attention of the learner.† After completing socially-tailored A-levels, I jointly took up English Language and Linguistics and International Relations at Oxford Brookes University. I liked the Linguistics course’s focus on the relationship between language and meaning just as much as I enjoyed perceiving the interrelation between language and communication; the course also dealt with human development, the interplay between language and literature and the ideational concepts of descriptive linguistics. The "Psychology of Language"(B+) module, where I developed my interests in SLA, helped me appreciate the social implications of language acquisition, and "Methodology of Foreign Language Teaching"(A) helped develop a keen awareness of a range of teaching techniques (especially, microteaching). My enthusiasm for this program arises from my conviction that it shall allow me to explore each of the above facets more substantively.

Analyzing Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyzing Change - Essay Example ld scenario is also redefining the political and economic equations that may have significant impact on the socio economic front of America in the near future. The probability cannot be discounted because history has been a witness to total extinction of great empires of the world and the civilizations that have perished without leaving any trace. Learning survival techniques from the history is not only important but necessary if we are to maintain our socio-economical supremacy in the fast changing socio economic values across the countries. According to the author, there are five factors that may have been responsible for complete disappearance of the civilization in the past: damages that the people have inflicted on their environment; climate change; enemies; changes in friendly trading partners; and the society’s political, economic and social responses to these shifts. The author has quoted the cases of fall of Polynesian and Maya civilizations. Maya civilization of Yucatan peninsula and Central America, has been one of the most advanced and highly sophisticated but by 910 A.D their societies collapsed as a result of power struggles among the various kings resulting in damages to the environment and poor management of natural resources that culminated in total wipe out of the civilization. The Polynesian societies in Pitcairn and Henderson islands, despite having vast natural resources, were destroyed mainly because of the fact that they depended on their import of canoes, crops food etc. on Mangarevan island and once the Mangarevan island trade collapsed due to environmental damages, Polynesian societies suffered the same fate and perished. On the other hand, societies in Japan, Tonga, Tikopia, New Guinea, Central and north-east Europe survived and flourished through the centuries. The main reason for this was that they anticipated the changes in environmental degradation and made efforts to combat that with appropriate strategies and innovative