Book contents
- Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and Learning
- Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and Learning
- Copyright page
- Dedications
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: Setting the Stage
- 1Where Are We Now? The Status of Linguistics in US Master’s-Level L2 Teacher Training Programs
- 2The Strengths of Functional-Typological Linguistics in L2 Perspective
- 3Form Follows Function: Systemic Functional Linguistics for L2 Teaching and Learning
- 4Incorporating Formal Language Analysis in the Language Teacher Curriculum
- 5Linguistic Foundations for L2 Pronunciation Teaching
- 6Why Morphosyntax Matters to Second Language Teaching and Learning
- 7Discourse and Pragmatics: An L2 Affair to Remember
- 8Why Conversation Analysis Matters to L2 Teaching and Learning
- 9Sociolinguistics and Second Language Teaching and Learning
- 10Why Corpus Linguistics Matters to L2 Teaching and Learning
- 11The Critical Role of Linguistics in Teacher Preparation
- 12Why Linguistics Matters to Second Language Teaching in K-12
- 13Why Teach Linguistics to L2 Learners? Evidence from the Western Washington University Spanish Language Program
- 14Why Second Language Acquisition Should Be a Part of Linguistics Education
- Conclusion: Where Do We Go from Here?
- Index
- References
12 - Why Linguistics Matters to Second Language Teaching in K-12
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 February 2026
Book contents
- Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and Learning
- Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and Learning
- Copyright page
- Dedications
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: Setting the Stage
- 1Where Are We Now? The Status of Linguistics in US Master’s-Level L2 Teacher Training Programs
- 2The Strengths of Functional-Typological Linguistics in L2 Perspective
- 3Form Follows Function: Systemic Functional Linguistics for L2 Teaching and Learning
- 4Incorporating Formal Language Analysis in the Language Teacher Curriculum
- 5Linguistic Foundations for L2 Pronunciation Teaching
- 6Why Morphosyntax Matters to Second Language Teaching and Learning
- 7Discourse and Pragmatics: An L2 Affair to Remember
- 8Why Conversation Analysis Matters to L2 Teaching and Learning
- 9Sociolinguistics and Second Language Teaching and Learning
- 10Why Corpus Linguistics Matters to L2 Teaching and Learning
- 11The Critical Role of Linguistics in Teacher Preparation
- 12Why Linguistics Matters to Second Language Teaching in K-12
- 13Why Teach Linguistics to L2 Learners? Evidence from the Western Washington University Spanish Language Program
- 14Why Second Language Acquisition Should Be a Part of Linguistics Education
- Conclusion: Where Do We Go from Here?
- Index
- References
Summary
Drawing on their classroom experiences, five secondary school language educators present how training in linguistics has positively impacted their pedagogical practices and increased student engagement, enjoyment, and motivation. These teachers of French, German, Latin, and Spanish describe how they bring linguistics into the L2 classroom, giving concrete examples of how the metalinguistic and social awareness that comes with “doing linguistics” can help students learn new languages by drawing on their L1 strengths, as well as gain an appreciation of the beauty and complexity of language, contributing to a welcoming classroom for students of all language backgrounds. These examples, alongside the student feedback described in the chapter, demonstrate that training teachers in linguistics has the potential to keep students curious and motivated, improving both student retention and learning outcomes in secondary L2 classes.
Keywords
Information
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- Information
- Linguistic Foundations for Second Language Teaching and LearningBridging the Disciplinary Divide, pp. 229 - 247Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
References
Recommended Reading
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A well-curated, highly accessible selection of short essays describing research in various areas of linguistics. This is a great book for those wanting an overview of the field, and the essays work very well as short readings for a high school linguistics class.
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