1. Applied Linguistics
An Introduction:
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Course:
Applied Linguistics for Language
Teachers
AGA
INSTITUTE

2. LEARNING GOALS
• Provide a broad and general outline of
applied linguistics as an academic subject.
• Discuss some of the questions that new and
prospective students of Applied linguistics
most frequently ask about the subject area.
• Discuss the history of AL and its origin.
• Examine the career opportunities under AL.
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3. Introduction
• AL is often said
to be concerned
with solving or at
least
ameliorating
social problems
involving
language:
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1. How can we teach languages better?
2. How can we diagnose speech pathologies better?
3. How can we improve the training of translators
and interpreters?
4. How can we write a valid language examination?
5. How can we evaluate a school bilingual program?
6. How can we determine the literacy levels of a
whole population?
7. How can we helpfully discuss the language of a
text?
8. What advice can we offer a Ministry of Education
on a proposal to introduce a new medium of
instruction?
9. How can we compare the acquisition of a
European and an Asian language?
10.What advice should we give a defense lawyer on
the authenticity of a police transcript of an
interview with a suspect?

4. MORE SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS
• What is applied
linguistics?
• What is the difference
between linguistics and
applied linguistics?
• What is the difference
between AL and
second/foreign language
teaching?
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5. • Applied linguistics does not lend itself
to an easy definition, perhaps because,
as Vivian cook remarks:‘applied
linguistics means many things to many
people’ (cook 2006).
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• The term Applied Linguistics (AL) is an Anglo-
American coinage.
• It was founded first at the University of
Edinburgh School of Applied Linguistics in
1956.
• Then at the Center of Applied Linguistics in
Washington D.C. in 1957.

6. Definitions of AL
• “the theoretical and empirical investigation of real-world problems in which
language is a central issue.”
Brumfit (1997, p. 93):
• is using what we know about (a) language, (b) how it is learned, and (c) how
it is used, in order to achieve some purpose or solve some problem in the
real world”
 “Traditionally, second language acquisition theory,second language
pedagogy and the interface between the two are of primary concerns
Schmitt and Celce-Murcia (2002, p. 1):
• “the focus of applied linguistics is on trying to resolve language-based
problems that people encounter in the real world, whether they be learners,
teachers, supervisors, academics, lawyers, service providers, those who
need social services, test takers, policy developers, dictionary makers,
translators, or a whole range of business clients”.
Grabe (2002, p. 9):
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7. Definitions of AL
• an interdisciplinary field of research and practice dealing
with practical problems of language and communication.
International Association for Applied
Linguistics (AILA)
• (1) the study of second and foreign language learning and
teaching.
• (2) the study of language and linguistics in relation to
practical problems
Longman dictionary of language teaching
and applied linguistics (2010):
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8. What Is ‘Applied’
About Applied
Linguistics?
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• Applied
subjects in
higher
education can
be divided into
two contrasting
types.
Disciplinary
Interdisciplinary

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1st Applied subject type
• focuses very clearly
on the practical
applications of a
single branch of
academic
knowledge
• Ex. Applied mathematics
studies how mathematical
theories, concepts and
processes can be used to
solve practical problems
in fields as diverse as
engineering, computer
science and economics
2nd Applied subject type
• has no ‘pure’ or ‘theoretical’
equivalents, and focus instead on a
single (although often very broad)
practical domain. Engineering and
Education, for example, are not
branches of any single academic
discipline at all, but are entirely
interdisciplinary in nature.
• Ex. Education focuses on
problems, questions and issues
related to teaching and learning.
• Education draws on research in
disciplines as diverse as
psychology, sociology, philosophy,
economics and politics, but still
maintains its own distinct identity as
an academic subject area, and its
own distinctive set of goals.

10. ‘What is the
difference between
linguistics and
applied
linguistics?’
• AL is not a branch of
linguistics, or of any
other academic
discipline
AL is an academic subject area
with its own …
• right, set of concerns,
academic journals,
professional associations,
academic qualifications,
and professional pathways.
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But finally

11. Applied Linguists
• See Linguistics
as their nearest
neighbor and
most important
source of
intellectual
inspiration
• Also look to other fields for
relevant insights into real-
world language Problems –
to biology,cultural studies,
economics,education,
philosophy,politics,
psychology and sociology .
• do not draw on linguistics
at all, but base their work
on theoretical concepts
and frameworks derived
from postmodernist
critical theory as in
‘critical’ applied linguistics’
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What Is ‘Applied’ About
Applied Linguistics?

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The scope
of applied
linguistics
Language
Teaching and
Learning
Content Areas
Real-world
problems in
which
language is a
central issue

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LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING
• AL is the academic study
of second language
learning and teaching,
and it is perhaps for this
reason that the question
‘what is the difference
between applied
linguistics and TEFL?’
20th century
focus
• When AL first emerged in
the second half of 20th
century, its focus on the
learning and teaching of
foreign languages, and
experienced language
teachers wishing to do a
master’s degree for reasons
of professional development
20th century
focus
• curriculum, syllabus and
materials design,
language teaching
methodology and
classroom management.
• Specific attention:
teaching 4 ‘macro’ skills,
together pronunciation,
language testing, teacher
education
20th century
Taught program

14. Decisions about what to teach and how to teach it
need to be grounded in a strong understanding of
what language is and how learners learn it
- Phonetics
- phonology
Morphology
and syntax
- Semantics
and
pragmatics
Psycho-linguistics
Socio-linguistics
Discourse
analysis
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LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING

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Mainstream education:
educational context
By ‘mainstream’ we
mean educational
contexts, funded and
influenced by the
state, rather than the
ELT context.
Research areas:
• Bilingualism and
multilingualism and
their relation to
schooling and first
language literacy
education
Mainstream education:
Language and education in formal
context
At a micro level:
• aim to diagnose and ameliorate
communication problems arising
in a wide range of professional
and workplace contexts (and
intercultural communication).
At a macro level:
involves in the analysis of
national & international
language planning and
language policy issues.
(language maintenance & loss
as well as promoting the
concept of linguistic human
rights.)

16. Content areas
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Issues of justice and
equity also inform
two other important
developments in
applied linguistics
Forensic
linguistics
• Focuses on
applications of
linguistic knowledge
to the legal process
Critical
discourse
analysis
• Aims to identify and critique
ways in which linguistic
choices and language
practices are used to
manipulate public opinion,
to promote the interests of
powerful groups in society,
and to oppress,
disadvantage and
discriminate against others

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‘real-world problems in which language is a
central issue’
Translation
studies
Lexicography
(the study and
practice of
dictionary
compilation)
Stylistics (the
study of how
linguistic style
varies across
literary texts and
other text types)
Computational
linguistics,
clinical
linguistics and
speech therapy
The scope of applied linguistics

18. The scope of applied linguistics
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AL …
• the study of second
and foreign
language learning
and teaching
AL …
• the study of
language and
linguistics in
relation to
practical
problems.
• Some people still understand AL in the
narrow way, while others see it in the
broader terms.

19. Applied Linguistic Approaches to Language Problems
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Thus far, applied linguistics is defined as ‘the theoretical and empirical
investigation of real-world problems in which language is a central issue’
(Brumfit, 1995:).The aim of this final section is to consider in fairly general
terms how applied linguists go about investigating the problems, questions
and issues that interest and concern them.
• Let us imagine for a moment that you
want to investigate whether standards
of English grammar are slipping
among school leavers and university
graduates, as is currently being
claimed in many sections of the
Anglophone media throughout the
world.
• Is English
really being
‘dumbed
down’ by its
users?

20. Applied Linguistic Approaches to Language Problems
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‘Investigating’
Involves investigating and
offering solutions to already
established problems
• Conduct a literature review
(from past paper);
• Conduct empirical research
by analyzing data from
learners, teachers and/or
other interested parties.
• Conduct theoretical
examination and critique the
ideas and assumptions that
underpin it.
Problematising
Involves creating problems – or
more precisely, about identifying
problems that have hitherto gone
unnoticed.
• ‘English as a Lingua Franca’ is
given the unique status of English
as the default language of
international communication.
• ELF refers to English as a share
language of communication taking
place between non-native
speakers, whose language are
different. Ex.Phonological and
grammatical norms.

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USA Australia Britain Europe
(France)
History of AL in four
different countries:

22. History
of AL
• was founded in 1977;
• AAAL’s mission “is to facilitate the advancement
and dissemination of knowledge and
understanding regarding language-related issues
in order to improve the lives of individuals and
conditions in society.”
The American
Association of
Applied
Linguistics (AAAL)
www.aaal.org
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 AL in North America does have identifiable roots in
linguistics.
 While North American AL has evolved over time, in its
orientation and scope, so has North American linguistics.
 A significant amount of work directed to real-world
issues involving language can be attributed to leading
North American linguists, although not characterized as
AL.
 Much of what can now be seen as groundbreaking AL
type activity was carried out prior to the formal
appearance of AL or of linguistics as recognized fields of
endeavor.
Angelis considered the
history of AL in four
different countries:

23. History of
AL
•Was founded in 1967;
• BAAL’s mission:
• aims “the advancement of education
by fostering and promoting, by any
lawful charitable means, the study of
language use, language acquisition
and language teaching and the
fostering of inter-disciplinary
collaboration in this study”
• It was largely taken for granted in the
1960s and 1970s that applied linguistics
was about language teaching.
The British
Association of
Applied
Linguistics
(BAAL)
www.baal.org.uk
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24. History
of AL
• was founded in France in 1964, where it is
better known as Association Internationale
de Linguistique Appliquée, or AILA.
• deals with range from aspects of the
linguistic and communicative
competence of the individual such as
first or second language acquisition,
literacy, language disorders, etc. to
language and communication related
problems in and between societies such
as e.g. language variation and linguistic
discrimination, multilingualism,
language conflict, language policy and
language planning
The International
Association of Applied
Linguistics
(www.aila.info)
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25. History
of AL
• Australian AL took as its target the AL of
mother tongue teaching and teaching English
to immigrants.
• The Australia tradition shows a strong influence of
continental Europe and of the US, rather than of
Britain.
• ALAA was established at a national congress of AL
held in August 1976.
The Applied
Linguistics
Association of
Australia
(ALAA)
www.alaa.net.au
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• “Applied Linguistics . . . has undergone a significant broadening of
its scope and now contributes its theoretical perspectives to a range
of areas” (Baynham, 2001, p. 26).
• Mouton de Gruyter, devotes a 45-page brochure to its AL list.
• language acquisition (L1 and L2), psycho/neurolinguistics,
language teaching, sociolinguistics, humor studies, pragmatics,
discourse analysis/rhetorics, text/processing/translation,
computational linguistics – machine translation, corpus
linguistics, language control/dialectology.

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What can I do with an
applied linguistics
qualification?

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• IAL is not a vocational
subject like speech
therapy or translation (or
like dentistry or law, for
that matter),
• the ‘real-world’
orientation of AL means
that is not a non-
vocational,‘pure’
academic subject like
history, sociology or
astrophysics either.
• If you want to
pursue one of
these careers then
you need to take a
vocational course
of studies in one of
these highly
specialized areas
instead.
• Textbooks and reference
sources often include
subjects such as
translation,clinical
linguistics,speech
therapy,deaf linguistics
and lexicography under
the general rubric of AL,
• a degree in AL will
not qualify you to
work as a speech
therapist,
lexicographer or
translator.
It is useful to begin by stating clearly what a degree in
applied linguistics CANNOT do for you.

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• A degree in AL is not officially
recognised as a teaching
qualification per se in most
countries,
• But it constitutes one of the most
popular and prestigious avenues
for professional development
among practising language
teachers, and particularly among
those who want to work in
universities.
• The largest group of
people enrolled in AL
program (MA, PhD or BA)
will be EFL teachers
studying for a higher
degree in order to secure
better paid and more
fulfilling jobs.
• AL has an important relationship with the
English language teaching profession.

29. LEADING APPLIED LINGUISTICS TEXTBOOKS

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