Applelinguist … the apple that started it all

University of Florida

Focus / Concentrations:               General (Theoretical, Applied)

Department / College:                   College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

It seems as though the University of Florida best encapsulates the idea of “General Linguistics Programs.” According the Linguistics Department in Gainesville, its program fits best under the heading of “General” linguistics because while they offer courses in theoretical linguistics, a number of students specialize in a wide range of areas, from purely theoretical to more applied sociolinguistics, discourse, SLA, TESL, and experimental.

They also have a very responsible and friendly staff. You should only think about applying to the University of Florida if you like good weather, a friendly work environment, and interested in all aspects of linguistics studies.

PA – Performance Analysis

Paradox of Language Acquisition – The limited amount of comprehensible input that children receive is mathematically insufficient for them to determine grammatical principles, yet somehow they are still able to do so.

Paralinguistic – refers to the non-verbal elements of communication used to modify meaning and convey emotion. Paralanguage may be expressed consciously or unconsciously, and it includes the pitch, volume, and, in some cases, intonation of speech. Sometimes the definition is restricted to vocally-produced sounds. The study of paralanguage is known as paralinguistics.

Performance Standards – “Identify the level of performance on a specific assessment task and scoring rubric that students must attain in order to function at a basic, proficient, or advanced level.” (Anderson, 1983, 1990: Joneset al. 1987) from (O’Malley & Pierce, Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners, 1996, p. 26)These show what students know and are able to demonstrate in a given task.

Phoneme – A finite set of sounds that make a difference for meaning. Ex: /p/ and /b/.

Phonemic System –

Procedural Knowledge – “What you know how to do, the “how” of performance and learning.” (O’Malley & Pierce, Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners, 1996, p. 26)

Proficiency level –

MELA-O – Massachusetts English Language Assessment-Oral. Custom tests for LEP students based on Massachusetts standards.

Metacognitive Strategies – strategic options that relate to one’s “executive “functions; strategies that involve planning for learning, thinking about the process as it is taking place, monitoring of one’s production or comprehension, and evaluating learning after an activity is completed

Metalinguistics – is the branch of linguistics that studies language and its relationship to culture and society.

Monitor model – Stephen Krashen. Language learning accomplished through formal conscious learning, or through acquisition (informal, subconscious learning through experience with language). Internal monitor which is developed through formal learning plays a smaller role than the role of acquisition. later became part of Krashen and Terrell’s Natural Approach

Morpheme – The smallest meaningful unit of a language. Prefixes, suffixes, root words. Words are formed with morphemes.

Mother Tongue – native language

LEA – Language Experience Approach. “Students provide the text, through dictation, that serves as the basis for reading instruction.” Students learn reading and writing by using their own interests with each other. (Peregoy & Boyle, Reading, Writing and Learning ESL, 2005, p. 278).

LEP – Limited English Proficiency

LSA – Linguistics Society of American (LSA.org)

L1 – L1-first language

L2 – L-2-secondary language

Language Function –

Late-exit bilingual program –

Lau v. Nichols – Landmark lawsuit regarding education for L2s. IRentical education does not constitute equal education. School districts must take affirmative steps to overcome educational barriers faced by non-English speakers . Led to Lau remedies for mandating compliance with Title IV

Learning – “Learning” used by Krashen was distinct from language acquisition. Learning occurs in the classroom and learning is used by leaners to consciously modify what they have acquired.

Learning Strategies –

Literacy – Reading, writing and creative analytical acts involved with producing and comprehending written texts.

Lx – Lx-subsequent languages

Formative assessment – Designed to evaluate students frequently so adjustments can be made to help reach target achievement goals.

Functionalism – Structural functionalism is a broad perspective in the social sciences which addresses social structure in terms of the function of its constituent elements, namely norms, customs, traditions and institutions.

Realia – Real life objects, the use of which strenghtens associations between words and everyday objects. Real objects, such as newspapers, maps, ticket stubs, photos, which ESL students can use to improve understanding of other cultures and situations.

Reflective Politics –

Register – a set of language variants commonly identified by certain phonological features, vocabulary, idioms, and/or other expressions that are associated with an occupational or socioeconomic group.

Relexification – is a term in linguistics used to describe the mechanism of language change by which one language replaces much or all of its lexicon, including basic vocabulary, with that of another language, without drastic change to its grammar. It is principally used to describe pidgins, creoles, and mixed languages.

Representational Politics –

Rime – A vowel and all that follows it in a monosyllbic word (bag=”ag). (See also “onset”)

Rubric – a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work

AAAL – American Association for Applied Linguistics (aaal.org)

AaO – Age at Onset

AoA – Age on Arrival

ALM — Audiolingual Method

Acquisition – Process of acquiring language, usually used to distinguish from “learning.” Acquisition occurs at any time. Learning occurs in classroom. Krashen made this distinction initially.

Affective filter – A condition of low anxiety and nondefensiveness that permits one to acquire a language Stephen Krashen’s Monitor Model of SLA.

Alternative assessment –

Assessment Strategies –

Audiolingualism – Dialogues were memorized, drills for practicing verb forms and sentence structures, imitation, repitition, reinforcement

Authentic assessment – Assessment that allows students to assess/evaluate themselves, understand goals/objectives set by teacher, see relevance of activities, incorporate their interests, be observed by teachers over a period of time.

ZPD – ZPD- the distance between a learner’s existing developmental state and his or her potential development. Developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky.