Michael,

I am not sure why you would assume that I was passing judgment on you or
making assumptions about how you teach. I was just putting forward my views,
some of which reinforced what you said about different forms of the language
being learned, or at least did not contradict them. Nor were my remarks
directed to you. I am sorry if I was not clear.

Steve

On Wed, May 20, 2009 at 10:37 PM, Michael A. Gyori
<mgyori at mauilanguage.com>wrote:


>  Hello Steve,

>

>

>

> I have not substantially alluded in any of my communications to *how *I

> teach and *when *I do so, but rather *what* I teach* *and *why*.  In that

> regard, your response below appears to bypass the issues I have raised.

>

>

>

> The only issue I am dwelling on is to help learners realize their initial

> as well as evolving goals as they become “aware” of possibilities that they

> might not have thought of before.   Sociolinguistics is a broad field, and

> whether a sociolinguistic perspective entails dwelling on inequities and

> discrimination is a result of an individual’s *attitude* towards certain

> groups of learners.  Sociolinguistic perspectives  can be a “turf” that lead

>  to understanding as much as to finding justification in perpetuating

> prejudice.

>

>

>

> I embrace differences among learners while, in the same breath, do not deny

> * *that there *are *differences that learners need to consider in the

> process of developing sociolinguistic competence.  Variety is the spice of

> life!

>

>

>

> It’s in that regard it appears to me that you are passing judgment on

> matters that have no bearing on what I, for one, have been alluding to.

>

>

>

> One of the purposes of discussion lists should be active listening (as

> adults who consider themselves successful claim to be an essential component

> of success as portrayed, for example, in EFF), and if questions arise about

> where contributors are coming from, they should be asked for clarification

> as a first step and/or their positions should be mirrored to shed light on

> what others (the hearers/readers) understand.

>

>

>

> We need to learn from one another, or the discussion lists could lose the

> power of synergy that I strongly believe is (or can or should be) one of

> their greatest strengths.

>

>

>

> Please let me know if I am missing your point or if you require further

> clarification.

>

>

>

> Thank you, Steve!

>

>

>

> Michael

>

>

>

>

>

> *From:* englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:

> englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] *On Behalf Of *Steve Kaufmann

> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2009 9:18 AM

> *To:* The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

> *Subject:* [EnglishLanguage 4335] Re: phonetic reduction

>

>

>

> I think that any learner should imitate the version of the language that he

> finds the most attractive,the most useful. This is best done by a lot

> listening (and reading) , and imitating. To me the role of the teacher is

> not to dictate what style of language the learner should learn, nor decide

> the content, nor the order in which aspects of the language should be

> learned. The teacher's main role, and it is a difficult one, is to provide

> encouragement, to instill confidence, to explain when asked, and to

> stimulate the learner to enjoy the language, to like it, so that the learner

> can take advantage of all the language resources that are out there.

>

> The learner needs to understand that he/she can do it, but only if he/she

> takes charge of the process. To dwell on inequities, and discrimination

> (socio-linguistics) is counterproductive. To focus on the details of the

> language, with detailed explanations and theories of what happens, has its

> place but is relatively unimportant as it will largely be lost on a learner

> who has not yet experienced enough of the language, and I mean years of

> listening to it, to understand what is being explained, much less remember

> it.

>

> Steve

>

>

>

>

>

>

> --

> Steve Kaufmann

> www.thelinguist.blogs.com

> www.kpwood.com

> 604-922-8514

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

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>




-- 
Steve Kaufmann
www.thelinguist.blogs.com
www.kpwood.com
604-922-8514
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