Linguistic Inquiry in the Classroom: A Missing Link?
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Date
2009-04-21T13:07:25Z
Authors
Domm, Kristin Bieber
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Abstract
Linguistic inquiry is the exploration of language—what language is, how
language works, and how language is used. Students themselves engage in
linguistic inquiry by observing language use, collecting language data, and
investigating what they find.
This research creation asks the question: Is linguistic inquiry a missing
link between students, teachers, language, and learning? Can linguistic
inquiry enable students to become more aware of their own language expertise,
more respectful of language diversity, more engaged as second language
learners, more effective as writers and readers, and more confident in
using academic language?
As a language arts and ESL teacher with twenty-five years’ experience
(P-12), I have explored linguistic inquiry and its possibilities in the
classroom by creating a book about language for young people. This book
is my writing to discover how to recognize, highlight, and investigate language
itself—in order to understand how linguistic exploration might enhance
learning in school.
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Part I of the thesis contains the thesis overview, a description of my
linguistic location, and the literature review. Part II, Talking Up a Storm:
Linguistics for Kids, is a nine-chapter nonfiction manuscript written for students
in Grades 4 - 8. Chapters include topics such as language acquisition,
endangered languages, writing systems, the history of English, codeswitching,
and the poetry of language. Part III explores possible classroom
connections for Talking Up a Storm: Linguistics for Kids. These connections
support the tentative conclusion that, like the arts, linguistic inquiry is
a valuable—but often missing—link in school, an important connection between
students, teachers, language, and learning.
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Keywords
Inquiry-based learning , Language arts , English second language , Language acquisition , Linguistics , Foreign speakers , Middle school , English language , Study and teaching , Education , Language