SLA Position Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

SLA Position Paper - Assignment Example Human nature prompts one to deal with whatever is mysterious and restless. Researchers continue to knock at one theory after another, state all kinds of hypotheses and strive to prove them. Based on an overview of research in the nature of language and pedagogical systems, and with a few additions from my own experience, I shall make some observations about these issues in this position paper. Normally, man as a social being, has a desire to know more and more people and associate with them. This process begins with introduction and can proceed to all kinds of relationships ranging from mere acquaintance to wedlock. Knowing the new person does not stop with knowing his name, background and a few other details. Knowing him better means knowing everything about him, including his past life, future ambitions etc. He has his own social identity; he is a part of his culture, belongs to some religious community and shares some beliefs and attitudes. He speaks a mother tongue which is part and parcel of his personality. I believe that a person’s character is shaped by the place and community where he is born, his religion, culture, socio-economic background, and of course, his mother tongue. Just as all these factors shape his perception of the world and the people around him, his first language or MT also influences his personality. The language, its nature, the thoughts and concepts expressed in it, the lexis and structure, phonological structure, all shape his views, attitudes and insights into the world and human life. Thus, indirectly and to a significant extent, language has a contribution in the formation of character and personality. Language is embedded in culture. Culture implies a number of things and language is one of them. In other words, language is one of the elements of culture. Language and culture are firmly bound to each other. A human being is a product of his culture. His thoughts and attitudes are fostered by it. Culture nourishes the cha racter of an individual. If language is a part of culture, it follows logically that language lends social identity to the individual. An individual speaking a particular dialect is immediately identified as belonging to a certain geographical region, a social stratum, a cultural and linguistic community. One’s social status is decided by one’s language. I can thus say with some degree of conviction that personality of an individual revolves around two factors, language and culture. It is this understanding of the nature and importance of language that has led me to make a statement about language learning. Let us look at the whole issue of language learning from a different angle. An individual in the modern world is to be considered as a sum total of his character, views, opinions, beliefs, attitudes, socio-economic status, educational background and all other factors that make up his personality. This is chiefly shaped by his culture and language, which is his MT. I n changing times, he does not (and cannot afford to) restrict himself to his MT. Just as he tries to know, understand and acquire the new global culture, he simultaneously comes in contact with the individuals representing social identities of their own, speaking and using other languages which are their MTs. An entire understanding and acceptance of new culture implies contact, understanding and