Page 81 - ABCTE Study Guide_Neat

Previously Covered:

• At this point, you should be familiar with a variety of sentence structures and how
students can use a variety of sentences to compose meaningful paragraphs.
• You should also recognize the value of using common mishaps of composition as a
teaching tool to encourage students to examine and evaluate their compositions throughout
the writing process.

Language Acquisition and Development

Generations of studies have shown that learning language is a social process and that students use
language to increase their knowledge of the world around them. Students exposed to language-rich
environments during their formative years develop confidence and fluency in acquiring new vocabulary,
learning grammatical structures, and usage.

You should be aware of some key terms associated with the study of language and how usage develops
over time. Phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics are the basic components of all languages.

Term Definition

Phonology is the study of speech sounds. Some sounds
disappear or change over time because of the ways speakers
Phonology use them.

I am becomes I’m; cannot becomes can’t.

Morphology is the study of word structure, particularly of the
Morphology
relationships between words.

Syntax refers to word order in the English language. We
sometimes form questions by changing syntax.
Syntax
"He is here" can be formed as the question "Is he here?"

Semantics is the study of meaning in language. Human
language can be very imprecise. (The word love means
Semantics different things to different people.) Also, some sentences are
ambiguous and have more than one meaning because of their
syntax.

Effective Instruction

Effective language instruction is critical to a student’s academic success. It’s that simple. Providing
students access to available language tools coupled with ongoing instruction across the content areas will
not only develop a student’s working vocabulary but also develop his or her ability to decipher unknown
words in context and to use resources to extend learning.