This thesis arises out of a critique of the way language is decontextualized and
presented from a reductively linguistic viewpoint in foreign language instruction. In
particular, it focuses on the weaknesses of the broad approach known as
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and highlights the disparity between its
theoretical assumptions and practical applications. With this in mind, the thesis
identifies and explores three foundational premises that should be considered as part
of an attempt to design a theoretically coherent framework for foreign language
instruction. By applying three sets of principles based on these premises, the thesis
goes on to outline such a framework.
After providing a background to the study, the first consideration is the nature of
cultural and communicative performance. The study turns to sociological concepts
regarding cultural organization and production, in order to better conceptualize how
'culture' can be understood in the context of foreign language learning. The second
part of this area focuses on meaning and communication in order to undermine
current treatments of 'language' in foreign language pedagogy.
The second area of interest is that of learning and thus considers a number of theories
of how people learn. The focus here is on learning-in-general rather than learning
languages specifically. What emerges from this are a number of principles that should
be borne in mind when creating conditions favorable to language learning.
Finally, one largely overlooked area in foreign language learning and applied
linguistics more broadly, is how the field of foreign language pedagogy constructs
and legitimizes its practices, as well as suppresses its foundational theoretical
assumptions in its activities (including research, methodology and teaching). A
chapter is therefore devoted to this issue, and a set of principles is formulated in order
to ensure that the design of any instructional framework is honest and ethical.
Thus furnished with the triangulation of principles, an attempt is made to outline how
a learner-focused, ethical pedagogical framework that stresses culture might look.
This thesis is theoretical in nature and relies on arguments and positions from diverse
and less commonly considered academic fields in foreign language instruction. Its
main theoretical inspiration comes from concepts and claims generally considered
'poststructural' or 'postmodern'. However, there is no exclusive devotion to any
particular author or theory.
It is hoped that this thesis can make a genuine, if not controversial, contribution to the
field of foreign language teaching by initiating a dialogue concerning the (lack of)
philosophical and epistemological reflexivity in the field.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218665 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Kraus, Harald A, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Eductation & Community Studies |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Harald A Kraus |
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