Understanding Language Affordances and Emergence In Language Teaching

Language Affordances VS. Input

Traditionally input was seen as all words, contexts, and other forms of language to which a learner is exposed. Input in this sense is said to provide a basis for acquiring proficiency in first or second languages.

The problem with input in the context of language acquisition is that it should be slightly above the level of the learner. Krachen in his Input Hypothesis noticed that providing comprehensible input may boost language acquisition.

The Dogme approach goes further to suggest that, in addition to providing comprehensible input, learners must be exposed to real language through classroom conversations and language activities that enhance the emergence of language.

Scott Thornbury contends in a post about language affordances that learning opportunities offered by real talk in the real world must surely be the best language learning method ever devised. In his book A-Z of ELT he describes affordance as:

a particular property of the environment that is potentially useful to an organism. A leaf, for example, affords food for some creatures, shade for others, or building material for still others. It’s the same leaf, but its affordances differ, depending on how it is regarded, and by whom. The term has been borrowed from ecology to describe the language learning opportunities that exist in the learner’s linguistic ‘environment’…

Scott Thornbury (2006)

Is this a shift away from the concept of input?

But what is the Dogme approach in the first place?

Approaches adopting language affordances and the emergence of language

Complexity theory, the ecological approach, the Dogme approach, and task-based instruction informed teachers about language affordances and the emergence of language.

They all focus on conversational learning, rather than textbooks and pre-set lesson plans. Larsen-Freeman’s complexity theory is of special relevance to the notions of affordances and the emergence of language. She contends that language learning is a complex and dynamic process that cannot be fully understood or predicted by looking at isolated factors. Instead, language learning should be viewed as a system that emerges from the interaction of various factors, such as the learner’s background, context, and cognitive processes.

Understanding Language Affordances and Emergence

The concept of affordances and the emergence of language is crucial in recent approaches to language teaching. Affordances are the opportunities for learning that exist within the immediate environment. Emergence refers to the language that naturally arises in a conversation without being planned in advance.

Definition of affordances

The term language affordances refers to the potential for learning that exists within the immediate environment. This includes the physical environment, as well as the social and cultural environment.

How affordances are relevant to language teaching

Affordances are relevant to language teaching because they allow for opportunities for language learning that are specific to the individual learner. For example, a student who is interested in music may be more engaged in a lesson that incorporates music-related vocabulary and concepts. Once appropriate material and environment are provided, the student’s language use will emerge naturally from the conversation-driven activities in the classroom.

Role of the Teacher in creating language affordances

• The teacher plays a crucial role in identifying and utilizing language affordances in the classroom.
• The teacher should act as a facilitator, creating a supportive and engaging learning environment.
• The teacher should be observant and responsive to the individual needs and interests of students to identify potential affordances.
• The teacher should incorporate student interests and experiences into the learning process to make it more personalized and meaningful.
• The teacher should allow for spontaneous communication and interaction to promote the emergence of language in a natural and authentic way.

Examples of affordances in language learning

Examples of affordances in language learning include using real-life situations to teach vocabulary and grammar. For example, a lesson on shopping might include a role play where the students act as shopkeepers and customers, practicing phrases and vocabulary related to the task.

Definition of Emergence

The emergence of language refers to the natural use of language that arises during a conversation without being planned in advance. In other words, it is the language that naturally emerges in a conversation without being pre-determined or scripted.

While language acquisition is the process by which humans acquire the ability to perceive and comprehend language in order to use it for communicative purposes, The Dogme approach puts emphasis on the fact that language learning is a process where language emerges rather than one that is just acquired.

Emergence happens when relatively simple elements combine together to form a higher-order system. This is a shift away from the traditional view of acquisition as a linear process. One of the metaphors cited by Scott Thornbury to show how we should create the opportunity for language to emerge is related to how football emerges in the playground.

Van Lier uses an analogy of learning how to play a game to explain the self-organizing nature of language acquisition in an ecological approach. He suggests that children learn the rules of a game, such as soccer, by participating in certain practices, including playing the game and participating in stories and comments about it. As they play, a “feel for the game” emerges, and the game reorganizes itself from random ball chasing to collaborative strategic play. Similarly, language learning occurs through bottom-up discovery and top-down instruction within the social context of language use.

How do kids learn the rules of playing soccer? Certainly not by being lectured on them for several years. They learn by participating in certain practices. Two pivotal practices in this respect are a) playing the game; and b) participating in stories and comments about the game perhaps combined with watching games.

When they start playing, children tend to run after the ball in a single swarm, kicking it around in seemingly random directions. Then at some point a ‘feel for the game’ emerges. The game reorganizes itself (not for all players at once, but for some) from ‘running after the ball where ever it rolls’ to ‘moving the ball around collaboratively in strategic ways.’ At that point the rules of the game become learnable, in an interaction between bottom-up discovery, and top-down instruction, within the social context of playing the game.

Leo van Lier 2004: p.81

How can a teacher transfer this analogy from the football playground to the context of the classroom?

How the emergence of language relates to the Dogme approach

The emergence of language is an essential concept in language teaching because it emphasizes the importance of spontaneous communication and interaction. For example, the Dogme approach encourages teachers to allow language to emerge naturally during conversations, rather than rely on pre-set lesson plans or textbook materials.

Role of Students in the Emergence of Language

Students play an active role in the emergence of language. By engaging in spontaneous conversation and interaction, students are given the opportunity to use the language in a more natural and authentic way, which can lead to increased confidence and fluency.

Examples of emergent language in the classroom

Examples of emergent language in the classroom include conversations that arise naturally from the interests and experiences of the students. For example, a lesson on food might lead to a conversation about a student’s favorite restaurant or a recipe they recently tried, allowing for authentic and spontaneous communication.

Benefits of emergent language

The benefits of emergent language include increased engagement and motivation for language learners. When students are allowed to use language naturally and spontaneously, they are more likely to be engaged in the learning process and feel a sense of ownership over their language development.

How to provide affordances and emergence in language teaching

To implement these concepts in language teaching, teachers can focus on creating a conversation-based environment that allows for spontaneous communication and interaction. Teachers can also incorporate the interests and experiences of the students into the learning process to make it more personalized and meaningful.

Tips for incorporating affordances in language teaching

Tips for incorporating affordances in language teaching include:

• Getting to know the students and their interests.
• Incorporating real-life situations into lessons.
• Allowing for spontaneous communication and interaction.

Strategies for encouraging the emergence of language in the classroom

Strategies for encouraging the emergence of language in the classroom include:

• Creating a comfortable and supportive environment.
• Allowing for spontaneous conversation and interaction.
• Providing opportunities for students to use the language in an authentic way.

Conclusion

Recent approaches to language teaching emphasize the importance of conversation and interaction between teachers and students. By utilizing affordances and encouraging the emergence of language, these approaches provide a more personalized and meaningful approach to language learning. While there are potential challenges associated with the integration of these new concepts in language teaching, with careful implementation and support, these approaches can lead to effective and engaging language learning experiences.

References

Thornbury, S. (2006) An A-Z of ELT: A Dictionary of Terms and Concepts Used in English Language Teaching. Oxford, UK.: Macmillan Education.
van Lier, L. 2002. ‘An ecological-semiotic perspective on language and linguistics’. In Kramsch, C. (ed.) Language Acquisition and Language Socialization: Ecological Perspectives. London: Continuum.