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In your own words, what is sociolinguistic variation?
Sociolinguistic variation refers to the choices a speaker makes when selecting the forms necessary to convey a message that is appropriate in a given context.
True or false? As language teachers, the understanding of sociolinguistics will influence the explanations we offer, the activities we design, and all aspects of the instruction we provide.
True!
Do second language learners need to know about sociolinguistic variation?
Yes. They need to understand how important it is to be able to identify these differences and interpret the meaning behind the choices speakers make.
True or false? Communicative language teaching and sociolinguistic are not related.
False! Sociolinguistics has been recognized as an integral part of the process of learning to communicate in a second language.
According to Canala and Swain (1980) communicative competence is made up of three abilities. Can you name them?
Grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence and strategic competence.
True or false? Grammatical competence is a learner's ability to interpret an utterance for its social meaning.
False! That's Sociolinguistic competence!
What is strategic competence?
It's one of the three abilities that communicative competence is made up of. It's the ability to compensate when there are breakdowns in communication,
What of the three abilities (grammatical, sociolinguistic, and strategic) do teachers usually focus on? Which one is also essential for effective communication?
Grammatical competence. Sociolinguistic competence.
Complete: The greatest challenge to the second language learner when they face sociolinguistic variation is...
...comprehension.
Can you name one type of sociolinguistic variaton that receives a lot of attention?
Geographic variation/ age/ level of education/ socioeconomic status/ etc.
True or false? A lack of understanding of sociolinguistic variation won't influence language production.
False! It might influence it and it can even have terrible consequences!
Complete: The ability to live in a second language rests on the acquisition of ______.
Sociolinguistic competence
What did the behaviouristic model claim?
It claimed that the environment was responsible for human behaviour.
How did learning happen according to the behaviouristic model?
It happened as children responded to stimuli in the environment. Habits were formed when children responded appropriately to such stimuli.
What's the name given for the environment in the descriptions of Behaviourism and Generative theory?
Input.
True or false? There are some second language acquisition theories that claim that L2 acquisition can happen with no input.
False!
