From the module Language Across Curriculum

1. B.Ed – Semester III, University of Mumbai
*
Presentation By:
Aditi Bhushan,
S.Y.M.Ed,
GuruKrupa gurukrupa college of education and research,
Univ. of Mumbai

2. *
Unit 1: Language and its Function
a) Concept of language
b) Characteristics of Language
c) Functions of Language

3. *

4. *
*LANGUAGE is a medium of participation in social activities.
*Effective tool with which society formulate model of social
life and conduct.
*Eg: Female speech are more conservative than males.
*Elements of language : Grammatical and Lexical : Reflects
societal needs.
*Eg: less elaborate linguistic structure provide fewer resources for
handling the complex problem.
*It determines thoughts
*Serves as problem-solving tool kit.
*Mediates child rearing and practices resulting in cultural
reproduction.

5. *4 fundamentals of languages:
*Listening
*Reading
*Speaking
*Writing
* THE RECEPTIVE SKILLS - listening and reading
*because learners do not need to produce language to do these,
they receive and understand it.
*These skills are sometimes known as passive skills.
*They provide the INPUT
*THE PRODUCTIVE SKILLS – speaking and writing
*because learners doing these need to produce language.
*They are also known as active skills. They can be compared with
the receptive skills of listening and reading.
*They are OUTPUT.

6. *Components of Language Development
*Phonology
*Semantics
*Grammar
*Pragmatics

7. *Phonology: Rules governing the structure and sequence of
speech sounds
*In children, from 4 months – cooing, saying patterns like dada-
mama.
*Semantics: Vocabulary and how words are expressed.
*At 1 year, the child says the first word and sentences.
*Grammatical:
*At 3-5 years, understand simple sentences
*Pragmatics:
*Continues sharing of vocal skills, grasping narratives etc.

8. * Characteristics of Language
*Language as Medium of Communication
* means of communication and thinking
* helps people to ideas, feelings
*Language is Arbitrary
* e.g. Book in English, Nool in Tamil, Kitaab in Urdu
*The Symbols of Language are Vocal
* Many languages exist only in the spoken form;
* they do not have the written form.
*Language is a System of Symbols
* Every language has an arrangement and an array of sounds and words. This is
called the system of sub-structures. These sub-structures are grammar and
syntax/morphology. These provide a range of words depending on tenses,
number etc.
*Language is Always Changing: Every language is a living language.
The language is constantly changing and developing according to
the needs of the speaker. New words are borrowed and absorbed
in a language from time to time.

9. * Language is Learnt: Language is a skill. It is a form of behaviour, which
is learnt. A newborn child knows no language except crying and
weeping. As time passes by the child’s crying and babbling sounds
develop into meaningful speech sounds of his group. He learns the
language by listening to the elders spoken at home around him. He
learns the language by imitation and practice.
* Follows Convention & Evolves: Language is passed through generations
with a united system of conventions and rules. It adapts with time and
accords change in order to survive.
* Language is Made Up of Habits: A person’s language reflects the habits
of the community to which the person belongs. Language is essentially a
habit-forming process. One can communicate one’s thoughts only when
one has made use of the language - the instrument of thought, a matter
of automatic habit with him. Thus, language is made up of habits and
this requires practice in the use of language.
* Language is Based on Common Cultural Experience: Every language is
a product of a society and culture. Human language is transmitted from
one particular individual to another not by physical inheritance, but by
learning It has meaning only in a particular culture and society. We do
not find exactly same words in two different languages. This is because
cultures are different.
* Every language is Unique: Every language is unique. No two languages
in the world have the same set of words, phonetic symbols and
grammatical patterns. There are geographical and cultural diversities
and because of that reason, every language is unique.