Applying Linguistics in the Classroom: A Sociocultural Approach

Making linguistics accessible and relevant to all teachers, this text looks at language issues in the classroom through an applied sociocultural perspective focused on how language functions in society and in schools―how it is used, for what purposes, and how teachers can understand their students’ language practices. While touching on the key structural aspects of language (phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax), it does not simply give an overview, but rather provides a way to study and talk about language.

Each chapter includes practical steps and suggests tools for applying different kinds of linguistic knowledge in classrooms. The activities and exercises are adaptable to elementary or high school settings. Many examples focus on the intersection of math, science, and language. Teacher case studies show how real teachers have used these concepts to inform teaching practices. Given the increasing use of multimedia resources in today’s schools, multiple mediums are integrated to engage educators in learning about language. The Companion Website provides a multitude of relevant resources that illustrate the diversity of language functions and debates about language in society.

Aria Razfar is Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, Culture, Learning Sciences, Linguistics and Director of Bilingual/ESL Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, US.

Joseph C. Rumenapp is a doctoral student in Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago, US.