Approach to Language Learning

The idea of approach to language learning has been long developed in linguistic education. The evolution of the concept has resulted in a variety of conceptualized formations acquired or approved by the language teaching community. Being a conventional methodological category, approach is nevertheless subject to equivocal interpretation. The overemphasis of the theoretical significance of the concept entails its estrangement from the procedural dimensions of an instruction system and causes the loss of explicit links connecting approach with subordinate notions of lower hierarchical levels. Further research of the concept implies the development of a well-grounded conception of an integrative type. The main issues considered include established definitions of approach and the contiguous notions of method and technique, the problem of denomination (terminological accuracy), a historical survey of approaches in use, the category of approach in the post-method era, strengths and weaknesses of the state-of-the-art accomplishments, and comprehensiveness or one-sided emphasis (what the concept lacks).

Curriculum Architecture and Syllabus Design

The development of a language learning syllabus and the organization of a language education curriculum require an integrated model in which all the aspects covered in the course are interrelated. A syllabus is actually to be a well-founded model that provably corresponds to the real parameters of language learning. With all the correct wording and terminology used, some programs include discrete and internally unrelated formal statements which are of little instructional value. Binary predication units being efficient tools of the invariant approach, a syllabus structured on their basis acquires a functionally balanced representation. A classification of syllabus-related predicative composites is considered, alongside examples of content presentation and inceptive introduction practice. The main issues considered include the notions of curriculum and syllabus, syllabus design peculiarities, the invariant approach inventory in syllabus design projections, and examples of invariant predicative layouts on the advanced level of learning English at university.

The Problem of the Approach Definition

The idea of approach in linguistic education has often been defined as a certain overall view of language and its acquisition. This kind of description evades distinct analysis as long as the two constituents are isolated crystallizations of largely different domains. The insulation of the major conceptual constituents causes the imprecision of current approach definitions which hampers specifying the concept's characteristics. The formulation of a precise definition implies extinguishing the concept's ambivalence for a new working model of the concept to be developed and its relations with coterminous notions to be explicated. The task of this chapter is to work out a conceptualization of an approach definition based on a variety of the concept's dimensions delineated due to establishing a new configuration of the concept perspectives viewed in terms of approach essentials. The main issues considered include the feasibility of approach definition, extinguishing the ambivalence of the approach concept, general principles of approach classification, type groups and taxonomies, antinomies of the approach concept definition issues, definition patterns of approach and the contiguous notions of method and technique, and conditions and criteria involved in the notional cluster.

A New Approach Model

The development of a new type of approach model of language learning is assumed to be based on the reference points establishing it conceptually. The general concept of approach is verified in terms of the conventional categories of domain, set, set element (subset), set extension, set intension, and hierarchy. A new type of approach to language learning proposed in the chapter is assumed to be conceptually established in the framework of a theoretical model construed as a functional domain comprising a hierarchical set of elements, approach being the top member but method and technique forming subset elements. The hierarchical approach set has both extensional and intensional projections, which are mapped onto the actual learning and teaching procedure and transformed into external and internal language acquisition segments, correspondingly. Thought-outward target language speech interrelations are thus represented. This is the way the functional correlation between theoretical grounds of the approach conception and curriculum procedure is established. The function characterizing approach dimensions is a multifold dichotomized formation whose duality is being made up of 1) the internal-external opposition, 2) source-target language opposition, 3) verbal dissimilarity opposition. The function in question gets delineated at the intersection of the dichotomies and designated as predication. Predication is an invariant unit of instruction surfaced in the form of the approach radix. The approach under consideration acquires the same contingent name. The main issues considered include the justification of the descriptive approach terminology, the functional modeling of approach, source-target language relationship in approach modeling, types of speech in approach modeling, and the invariant approach to language learning: introductory statements.

The Invariant Approach

The invariant approach is likely to challenge the discreteness and one-sidedness of certain conventional language learning schemes by claiming at the integrity of verbal thought and speech. The idea of reconciliation of mental speech generating processes and actual communication is implemented by the binary predication unit used as the instruction shaper. The generation of a minimal binary predication unit might transpire in different modes of thought-speech activity and at different levels of language awareness attained by the learner. The binary unit potential is reached and realized in the invariant method of language learning which has been claimed as a derivative of the invariant approach. The binary unit constant produces the notional medium for the principles of the invariant method to be carried through. They are the principles of generalization, individualization, differentiation, cognition, and structural unity. As the invariant approach prioritizes the study outcome at the level of fundamental expertise, its advantages allow for the formation of solid grounds for both didactic and research purposes. Further investigation implies expanding across other sciences research methodologies on the interdisciplinary basis. The main issues considered include the background of the invariant-based approach to language interpretation and language learning, distinctive features and parameters, argument-taking predicates as curriculum shapers, and prospective correlations in other sciences and adjoining disciplines.