Language awareness: Progress in language learning and language education, or reformulation of old ideas?

Abstract

Internationally, the term ‘language awareness’ (LA) seems at present to be regarded as a new concept of language pedagogy, perhaps even a new ‘paradigm’ of our discipline. A review of some of the earlier LA‐related work in other European countries suggests, however, that the major ideas of present‐day LA have been around for some time, e.g. under such labels as ‘conscience métalinguistique’, ‘Reflexion über Sprache’, ‘Sprachbewußtsein’, ‘taalverkenning’ and ‘taalgevoel’. With regard to the preceding discussion, the paper will address the following two alternative questions. Are there important characteristics, similarities and parallels between the various concepts of LA which have been unduly overlooked by the continental followers of British LA? If this is the case, the term LA would probably be not much more than an inadequate generalisation of educational, language‐related problems and findings within a specific context. On the whole, the recent continental use of LA would not amount to more than a reformulatio of old ideas. Or, has the term LA and the British concept behind it added a new dimension to European language learning/teaching methodology and language education? If the latter is the case, then LA should be considered a significant step forward, a landmark of progress in the history of our discipline.

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