Discourse Analysis for SLA Teaching and Learning

科技信息人文社科Discourse Analysis for SLA Teaching and Learning聊城大学外语教育学院周明娟[Abetract]This digcst focuses on the application of discouse analysis to second language teaching and leamning. It reveals how teachers canimprove their taching practices by invesigting actual banguage se both in and out of the chsroom, and how students can learm languagehrough apout tw dferent oypes of discounse.[Key werds]Discouse Analyis (DN) Commoanicative Competence SLA taching SLA leaming1. Whatis Diacourse AnalysisOne problem for second language leamers is limited experience with aDicoame Amabysis DA)is arcl tivdyow arad study in Applied lin- variety of intern ctive practics in tbe target language. Therefore, one of thegistics, im hich dhe comunica tive onmpdenc,s coocp that emompsesgpale of second langnago tee ching i 10 expose leamen to dfferent discouneos tind,samiolingistica nd taunltegic discunsive compedencies, i simulta-pettcrms in dfcrcnt texts and inters ctions. One way that teachers can inchudethe stundy of discourse in the soond language lasroon is to alow the stu-Dieourse andlysis is the eminmion of langusge ue by members of a By explo ring natural language e in authentie enriroaments, learmners gain aapochcom rtownily. t involves lookinga both lmgug form and languagp grealer appreciation and understandling of the discourse patterms asociatedfumnctions and indodes the study of boeth spoken intraction and witen texte.with a given geare or speech event幽well 8s the sociolinguistic factors that勤identifies lngistic fentures that cha o cterize dfferent genres 8s well晒80-contribute如o linguistic variation acroes sttings and contexts. For example,cid and culturnl 6 chors that aid in our interpretation and understanding ofstudents can study speech acts in a service encounter, tum-taking palterns infereat texts and tpes of tk A diecoure analyis of witen texts might in-clude a stuady of topic development and coheaion acroes the sentences, while messngs, or other aspect of speech events. Riggenbach (1999) sugests a部analysis of spokea language might focus on these aspects plus tum-aking wide v riedy o activitice that can easily be adapted t如o suit a range of secondpa ctics, openings nd cloeing sequa wes of social encounters, or narrative language leaning ontests.structure.One discoure So sure that iag cary 0 study is lstepe reponse behavior,DA reveals t i hidden under the coroa unicative act. Altbough咀alao knom m幽badochannels. Be ckchannds are the brief verbal responses thatm ediae beneft brught by a DA couase is 1o improve writing kill, its per-■liscor uses wbile nother individual is tlking such as mm- -humm, ok, yeah,oisent peactice will uhimacly eanhs noe the orul sill too2 DA and Second Language Teachingwhich makes i旭interenting lcature to study. Variation has been found notdaeroomis imiedia幽abliy derdopls mcn' com unica tive compe-only in the froqucncy of backchannels, but also in the type of backchannela,anceintbeuanget lngme. This is de to the心ricted mumber of contacttheir placement in the ongeing tlk and their itretaion by the participants.bouns with the lngyugz; minimal oppo tuniticas bor imtera cting with rativeStudents can olloct and analyue data themsclres. Once cllected, this setspeatax,nd larited expoeure wo the varicy of functions, gearea, speechof autheatic language data can be repeatedly exsnined for other conversationaltime available lor students to poa cticec the tanget langeugs, teachen shouldevents. This discourse approach to language learming removes language frommximize oppo aunitice for student participation.the confines of textbooks and makes it tangible, s0 that students can exploreA disounse snalysis of casrom interections can also shed light onlanguage. 88 interaction rather than的granmatical units. Teachers can also ueecros- cultural linguistic patterns that may be leading to comunication di-these activities to raise students' awareness of language variation, dialect dif-culties. For example, some speakers may enprge in overdap, speaking whilesoneone elbe is taking a tum- a-takgoupe, this dis-4. Conclusionecourse behavior can be interpreted 8 a signal of engpgement and involvement;In sum, teachen can use discourse analysis not only as a reearch methodhowever, other epeakens may view it 8助iterruption and imposition on their for inveligting their own teaching practices but alo晒a tol for studying in-speaking rights.teractions among language learmens. Leamers can benefit from using discouneAlthough some varisbles of language learming re beyond the controd of analygis to explore what language is and how it in used to achieve conmounica-scood language teachen, discourse analysis can be a useful analytic tool fortive goals in dfferent contexts. Thus discourse analyais can help to create amaking informed changes in instructional practices. Mantream teachers, es-pecialy thoee with sccond language learmners, can also us this technique toguage i used and encourages leamens toward their goul of proficiency in an-study lasroom interactions in order to focus on the leaming opportunitiesother. language.available to students with limited English proiciency. In fac, discourse anal-yais can be an integral part of a progan of prfessional development for allRelereacesteachers that includes classroom-based research, with the overall aim of im-[1]Celce-Murcia, M. & Oshain, E. Discourse and context in ban-proving teaching (Johnson, 1995).guage teaching. New York: Cambidge Univeaity Pes,20003. DA and Second Language Leaming[2 ]Hatch, E. Discouse and kanguage education. New York: Cam- -Language learmen face the monumental task of acquiring not only newbridge Univesity Pes,1992vocabulary, syatatie ptten, and phonology, but also discouse competence,[3J]ohason, K. Understanding communicaion in second languagesociolinguistic competence, strategic competence, and interaction competence.cassrooms. New York: Cambridge UniesitPes,1995They need opportunitics to investigate the eystematie of language醴all lin-[4]McCartv. M.. & Carter. R. L anouape鸡discouse: Perpectives forguistie levels, epeially吐the highet level. Without kowlodge of and expe-bngrng中国煤化工rience with the diecourse and socio culural pttens of the target language,: language lasoom: Vol-second language learnens are likely to rely on the strategics and expectationsume1.1MHC N M H Gaivesiy of Michign Pres,acquired胡part of their first language development, which may be inappro-1999priate for the second language stting and may lead to communication difcul-[6]Young, R, & He, A. Tlking and tesing Discouse ppoaches oties and misunderstanding.the asesment of ornl profciency. Philadelphia: Jobn Benjamins,1998一153-