Leo Van Lier – författare

This text is a contribution to the theory of the language education curriculum. It explores key aspects of the current debate on language teaching and examines the important issues of the learning process, the central concepts of authenticity, motivation and language awareness.

This book contains a collection of more than 20 up-to-date overviews of a variety of aspects of language awareness and the role of metalinguistic knowledge in language development and education. The contributions offer a balanced perspective on a range of topics, including first and second language acquisition, classroom talk, language use in the multicultural work place, translation, Esperanto, whole language, historical perspectives from the UK and the Netherlands, critical pedagogy, the education of language teachers, the teaching of grammar, phonology and writing. The book offers a comprehensive perspective on metalinguistic knowledge and processes, and presents a coherent argument for building an element of language awareness into the language curriculum at all educational levels.

This text contains a collection of more than 20 state-of-the-art overviews of a variety of aspects of language awareness and the role of metalinguistic knowledge in language development and education. The contributions come from more than a dozen countries and offer a balanced perspective on a range of topics, including first and second language acquisition, classroom talk, language use in the multicultural work place, translation, Esperanto, whole language, historical perspectives from the UK and the Netherlands, critical pedagogy, the education of language teachers, the teaching of grammar, phonology, and writing, and others. In all, the book offers a comprehensive perspective on metalinguistic knowledge and processes, and presents a coherent argument for building an element of language awareness into the language curriculum at all educational levels.

Interaction in the Language Curriculum offers an innovative theory of language education integrating curriculum practice, research and teaching. It emphasises the interdependence of knowledge and values and stresses the central importance of learning as a social process.Leo van Lier argues that moral as well as intellectual and practical principles must underlie curriculum development and everyday teaching, captured in his triple focus on Awareness, Autonomy, and Authenticity. In addition to its rich grounding in language education practice, the book draws support for his position from diverse sources in sociology, philosophy and cognitive science, from the work of Bourdieu, Giddens, Wittgenstein, Peirce, Vygotsky, Bakhtin, and Dewey. In the current broadening context of language education this study makes an important contribution to research. It presents a coherent philosophical theory as well as considering practical issues in implementation of a new language curriculum. As such, it will be of great benefit to teachers, applied linguists and educationalists generally.

The ecological perspective on language and language education has in recent years become a major focus of interest in the fields of second language teaching and learning, and linguistics and education in general. This is the first book-length attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of an ecology of language learning, including both theoretical discussions on language, semiotics, emergence, and self, and the practical consequences of an ecological view for classroom work. This book is of interest to all language educators, second and foreign language teachers and researchers, and other education professionals.

The ecological perspective on language and language education has in recent years become a major focus of interest in the fields of second language teaching and learning, and linguistics and education in general. This is the first book-length attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of an ecology of language learning, including both theoretical discussions on language, semiotics, emergence, and self, and the practical consequences of an ecological view for classroom work. This book is of interest to all language educators, second and foreign language teachers and researchers, and other education professionals.