Terms & Definitions Flashcards
(40 cards)
Target Language -
refers to the specific words or phrases that learners are expected to learn, understand, and use during a lesson or unit.
Emerging Language -
refers to the new language (words, phrases, grammar, or expressions) that students naturally produce or attempt to use during a lesson, even though it was not explicitly taught or planned.
Word Level -
individual words and their properties, such as meaning, form, pronunciation, and use
Phrase Level -
groups of words that function together as a single unit of meaning, but don’t form a complete sentence. More than just individual words—they help learners build fluency, accuracy, and natural communication.
Self Error Corrections -
learners notice and correct their own mistakes in speaking or writing—without direct correction by the teacher or peers. Promotes learner autonomy and language awareness.
On the Spot Error Correction -
immediately addressing and correcting a student’s error as soon as it is made, without delay.
Delayed Error Correction -
waiting until later in the lesson or after an activity to correct errors made by students. Instead of addressing mistakes immediately, the teacher provides feedback after the task has been completed. Encourages Student Reflection.
Receptive Skills -
refer to the skills involved in receiving and understanding language, specifically listening and reading. These are called “receptive” because learners are receiving input (from a speaker, text, etc.) rather than producing output (speaking or writing).
Producitve Skills -
refer to the skills involved in producing language, specifically speaking and writing. These skills are essential for students to communicate their ideas, opinions, and information effectively in English.
Reading for gist -
the ability to read a text and understand its general meaning or main idea without focusing on every single detail. This skill is essential for efficient reading and helps learners get an overall sense of the content before diving deeper into specific details.
Reading for detail -
reading a text carefully to understand and extract specific information, facts, or details. Unlike reading for gist, where the focus is on the overall meaning, reading for detail requires deeper attention to individual points.
Post-Reading Discussion -
deepens comprehension, encourage critical thinking, and promote active language use. By engaging in discussion, students can reflect on the text, share ideas, and clarify understanding of its content, themes, or ideas.
Micro Stages (of a lesson) -
These stages guide the learning from preparation to practice and finally application of language skills.
Macro Stages (of a lesson) -
the broader phases of a lesson that guide the overall flow and progression of learning. These stages give a framework for organizing the lesson.
Functional Language -
phrases, expressions, or language structures used in real-life situations to fulfill specific communicative functions. Focuses on the purpose of communication rather than just the grammatical form.
Functional Exponents -
specific expressions or phrases used to fulfill particular communicative functions in real-life situations. Students learn how to functionally communicate using structured phrases.
Situational Presentation of Language -
teaching language through real-life scenarios or situations where the language would naturally be used. Focus on using authentic contexts to present and practice new language, which makes the learning more relevant and contextual for students.
Linguistic Challenges -
the difficulties or obstacles that learners face when acquiring and mastering English. These challenges can arise from various aspects of the language, such as phonology, grammar, vocabulary, syntax, pragmatics, or cultural differences
Cognitive Challenges -
the mental processes involved in learning and acquiring a new language, which can often create obstacles for students. Involve difficulties with memory, attention, problem-solving, transfer of learning, processing speed, and language skills integration.
Performance Challenges -
related to the actual use of the language, often involving the gap between what a learner knows (knowledge) and their ability to produce or comprehend language in authentic situations
Inductive Teaching -
learner-centered approach where students discover language rules through exposure to examples. They analyze patterns and infer rules themselves, promoting deeper understanding, critical thinking, and greater language retention through engagement.
Deductive Teaching -
involves explicitly presenting language rules first, followed by practice. It is teacher-centered, where learners are directly taught grammar or vocabulary before applying them in exercises or communication.
Stress-Timed Langauge -
is a language where the rhythm is based on stressed syllables occurring at roughly regular intervals, with unstressed syllables shortened to fit this pattern. English is a prime example.
Other examples of stress-timed languages include:
German, Dutch, French (though it has some syllable-timing characteristics, it’s primarily stress-timed), Russian & Arabic.
Syllable Stressed Language -
where each syllable takes roughly the same amount of time to pronounce, regardless of whether it is stressed or unstressed. This creates a more even rhythm. Examples include Spanish, Italian & Japanese.
Portuguese, Finnish, Turkish & Welsh.
