Encyclopedia

Distance learning has revolutionized education, allowing learners to study without the constraints of time and place. This article explores the evolution, current state, and challenges of distance language education,…

Language is not merely a collection of words and sentences but a complex system of communication deeply intertwined with social, cultural, and historical contexts. Discourse analysis is a tool that

Dictionaries are like treasure chests filled with information about words. They’re not like encyclopedias that talk about everything, but they focus on the meaning, spelling, pronunciation, history, grammar, and…

Understanding how languages are taught involves exploring the history, terminology, and various approaches used in language education. This article delves into the evolution of language teaching methods, particularly…

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a powerful educational approach designed to enhance learning in diverse linguistic settings. Originally emerging in Europe in the mid-1990s, CLIL has since become

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is a method used to learn languages that focuses on both the process and goals of classroom learning. This approach emphasizes the ability to express, interpret,

Learning a new language involves more than just memorizing vocabulary and practicing grammar drills. It taps into the way our minds naturally work, a concept known as Cognitive Code Theory….

In language learning classrooms, the way teachers and students talk to each other is very important. This is what we mean by “classroom language.” Language is not only the tool

Language learning has evolved over the years, and one significant advancement is Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). In this approach, technology like computers is used to assist in teaching and

The Common European Framework of Reference for languages, also known as CEFR, is a guideline developed by the Council of Europe to aid in the learning, teaching, and assessment of

Classroom research delves into what happens within classrooms to gain insights into teaching and learning processes. Originating in the 1960s, it emerged as a response to the limitations of traditional

Cultural Studies is a broad term that refers to the examination of various cultural aspects, including products, processes, and issues. It originated in Britain and has since spread to many

Language learning involves more than just memorizing vocabulary and grammar rules. It’s about understanding how language reflects the way we think and perceive the world around us. One fascinating approach

Noam Chomsky is a renowned figure in the world of linguistics, known for his groundbreaking theories on language and the mind. Despite his prominence as a linguist, many people recognize

Language shapes the heart of a culture, and when it comes to Chinese, it’s like diving into a treasure trove of history and diversity. Let’s embark on a journey to

In the world of language learning, understanding how language works is essential. One important field in this area is called “corpus linguistics.” Corpus linguistics is all about studying large collections

Learning a new language can be challenging, but with the right approach, it can also be rewarding. Community Language Learning (CLL) is one such approach that focuses on creating a

When delving into the realm of language learning, it’s crucial to grasp two key concepts: competence and performance. These terms were introduced by Chomsky in the 1960s to describe different

Communication strategies are essential tools for language learners to achieve their goals in understanding and expressing themselves in a new language. In this article, we’ll explore what communication strategies…

Language learning can take on various forms, and one effective method is through content-based instruction. This approach integrates language learning with the acquisition of subject matter content. Whether the emphasis

Conversation Analysis (CA) is a way of studying how people talk to each other, especially in everyday situations. It started in the 1960s and 1970s as part of sociology, which

A Creole language is defined as a stable natural language that resulted from the mixing of two other languages. There are currently about 100 examples of Creole languages, many (but

In the world of language education, one term that frequently pops up is “Cultural Awareness” (CA). But what exactly does it mean, and why is it important? Let’s delve into

Behaviorism, a theory in psychology that emerged in the early 20th century, suggests that most of our actions are learned responses to different situations. According to this theory, when we

Bilingualism is a fascinating and complex phenomenon, much more nuanced than simply being able to speak two languages. It’s about the interplay of language proficiency, usage, and the unique linguistic

When you’re just starting to learn a new language, you might hear the term “beginner language learners.” This term applies to anyone who is in the early stages of learning

Learning a new language is like unlocking a door to a whole new world. It’s not just about memorizing words and grammar rules but truly understanding how to communicate in

Bilingual education means teaching subjects in two languages. It helps students understand and speak both languages. Sometimes, schools start with the student’s home language and then switch mostly to another

Daniel Everett is a linguist who is best known for his studies of language in the Amazon and author of the book How Language Began. He began as a missionary

Steven Pinker is a cognitive scientist and linguist who has made significant contributions to the study of language and cognition. In 1995 in his book The Language Instinct, Pinker explored

Matthew Walker is a neuroscientist and professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is known for his research on sleep and its impact on human

Arturo Hernandez is a neuroscientist and cognitive psychologist known for his research on the neural basis of language and cognition, particularly in the context of bilingualism. In 2013 Hernandez published

What is the best method to learn a language? This is a difficult question, but if you reflect on the last 200 years of research, the following picture emerges. You

Powerful computers nowadays can help us remember better, automatically recognize, translate and generate a human-sounding voice, search through massive amounts of data, generate text on any topic, or even talk

Before the web and social media, polyglots tended to be solitary creatures. In 2009, an Irish polyglot, Benny Lewis, started his blog “Fluent in 3 months”. Lewis was documenting his

Chomsky not only defined the grammar types, but also made significant contributions to the understanding of language from a cognitive and theoretical perspective.  In 1950 Chomsky proposed a new way

PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) is often considered a pioneer in the field of computer-based education. It was a computer-based learning system developed at the University of Illinois

Piotr Woźniak was a student at the Poznan University of Technology and studied the effect of sleep on memory. From his research, he found that we actually formulate new memories

With the successes of the new language learning methods based on Berlitz’s ”direct method” (also called “natural method”), researchers started thinking about how people actually acquire languages. The first…

Robert A. Bjork is a cognitive psychologist known for his research in the areas of learning, memory, and forgetting. His work has focused on understanding the factors that influence human

With the advent of the European Common Market in the ’70s and ’80s, there was a lot of migration in Europe and an increased number of people who needed to

The Chomsky hierarchy was introduced by Noam Chomsky in his work on formal language theory, which he presented in 1956 as “On Certain Formal Properties of Grammars”. He proposed a

Luis von Ahn, a Guatemalan entrepreneur and a consulting professor in Computer Science, founded Duolingo in 2011. It is the most downloaded education app worldwide and has over 500 million

Michael Lewis described the early 1990s a so-called “lexical approach” in language teaching which was based on the idea that language is made up of lexical units rather than grammar

Stephen Krashen is an American linguist best known for his work in the field of second language acquisition.  In 1982 he published a very influential essay on “Principles and Practice

Penfield and Roberts introduced the concept of critical period hypothesis (CPH) in 1959. The theory states that the first years of life constitute the time during which language develops readily

Jean Piaget is famous for his theories regarding changes in cognitive development that occur as we move from infancy to adulthood. Children process information in a different way than adults….

Auralog, the company behind the language learning application Tell Me More, was founded in 1987 by Maurice Lévy. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Auralog introduced multimedia language learning

Scoville and Milner in 1957 studied a patient named Henry Molaison.  Henry suffered from severe epilepsy and underwent a surgical procedure in 1953 to alleviate his seizures. The surgical procedure

In 2009 a group of scientists (incl. Robert Bjork) published an essay on “Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence”. The authors examined the evidence supporting the idea that matching instruction to

Dan Ariely is an Israeli-American behavioral economist known for his research on irrational behavior and decision-making. Ariely published the book Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions in

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) was established in 1947. It is the primary training institution for personnel of the United States Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies. The

David Ausubel was an American educational psychologist who was particularly known for his theories on learning and instruction. His research focused on how people acquire and organize knowledge. In 1968

Cecil Alec Mace is a British philosopher and industrial psychologist, best known for his work on monetary incentives and goal-setting theory. In 1932 he published his book The Psychology of

During World War 2 there was an obvious need for the military to speed up the language learning process, so that the personnel could acquire language skills quickly. The audio-lingual

When we talk about autonomy in learning, we mean how much control learners have over their own learning process. Autonomous learners take charge of setting goals, deciding what to learn,

Language acquisition is not merely a process of mastering forms and rules; it’s intertwined with social, subjective, and objective dimensions, encompassing the attitudes, habits, and cultural traits of its…

The developments in the area of phonetics in the 19th century, like the work of the brothers Grimm, led in 1886 to the creation of the International Phonetic Association in

The 19th century investigated language and learning in more detail. This led to the formal development of linguistics, phonetics, and neurolinguistics, as well as the first-ever formal language learning method,

Why do some individuals excel in learning languages while others struggle? The concept of language aptitude seeks to answer this question by identifying innate abilities specific to language learning. While

Ferdinand de Saussure, born in Switzerland in 1857, is regarded as the founder of modern linguistics. He laid the foundation for many of the developments in linguistics in the twentieth

At the beginning of the 20th century, teachers and scholars started searching for ways to improve language learning. They were inspired by looking at how children learn languages. They understood

Hermann Ebbinghaus was a psychologist primarily known for his research in the field of memory. His groundbreaking work focused on understanding the processes of learning and forgetting, and he conducted

Around the 1870s, French neurologist Paul Broca discovered a region of the brain that was associated with the production of spoken language.  It was the first time in history that

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to pick up new languages effortlessly while others struggle? The answer might lie in age-related factors that influence language acquisition. Let’s dive

During the 17th century, the primary purpose of teaching Latin and Greek was not for spoken communication but rather to educate scholars and create “the illusion of deep knowledge”. It

Audio-visual language teaching represents a methodological approach that integrates visual and auditory media to enhance language learning. This method exists in both strong and weak versions, with the strong variant

Language is not a recent development in human history.  Not so long ago, researchers claimed that language is about 50,000 to 100,000 years old and possessed exclusively by Homo sapiens….

Since the early days of studying how people learn second languages, there’s been a focus on how this knowledge can improve teaching. In 1976, Krashen came up with the monitor

The realm of applied linguistics is a dynamic and evolving field, serving as both a source of theory and a practical guide for language teaching. Its journey from its inception

When adults learn languages, it can happen in different ways: either they organize it themselves, which doesn’t happen often enough, or they do it within structured settings like schools or