语言自我概念在成人英语教学中的关键作用

英文原文

The concept of language ego is intriguing. People usually discuss ego in psychological terms. In linguistics, however, language ego is seen as a normal and natural byproduct of learning a second language, which has everything to do with the affective part of language learning. According to Brown (2001), in the process of learning a second language, all learners create a new mode of thinking, feeling, and acting which eventually leads to a new sense of identity or a second identity. This is called language ego and when combined with the second language, may easily put learners in a state of fragility, defensiveness, and increased inhibitions. Therefore, as educators, we must be mindful of our students’ emotional state, treat them with compassion, minimize anxiety, and cultivate emotional safety in the classroom. No one has ever claimed that when they were first learning a second language, they were immune to making silly mistakes or embarrassing themselves in front of their peers. If this wasn’t treated with proper care and support, learners might have a very hard time getting along with the language learning process. That’s why teachers need to provide emotional support in the educational context. Here are four ways that can help: It is always helpful to show a supportive attitude in the classroom. Although these students may feel a little slow in the new language learning process, they are all capable adults outside the classroom. They’re struggling with one of the most challenging skills anyone can attempt in life. Showing them you’re aware of the challenges they’re going through and offering patience and empathy goes a long way in helping them handle the task. When designing lesson plans, we need to be mindful that our choice of tasks and techniques should be cognitively challenging but not affectively overwhelming. When we are conscious of our students’ language ego, we will consider who to call on, how to form groups and pairs, when to offer correction, how to structure and plan activities, and how “tough” we can be with a particular student. This last point is relevant when we teach in an English-speaking country. In this context, it’s very likely for students to experience a moderate identity crisis as they develop a second self within themselves. We should remind them that this is a normal and natural process when developing a second self in a second culture. In summary, being mindful of our students’ language ego can help them become more effective learners not only cognitively, but also emotionally and affectively.

中文翻译

语言自我概念是一个引人入胜的概念。人们通常从心理学角度讨论自我。然而在语言学中，语言自我被视为学习第二语言的正常自然副产品，这与语言学习的情感部分密切相关。根据Brown（2001）的观点，在学习第二语言的过程中，所有学习者都会创造一种新的思维、感受和行为模式，最终导致新的身份感或第二身份。这被称为语言自我，当与第二语言结合时，可能很容易让学习者处于脆弱、防御和抑制增加的状态。因此，作为教育者，我们必须关注学生的情感状态，以同情心对待他们，减少焦虑，并在课堂中培养情感安全。没有人曾声称当他们第一次学习第二语言时，他们不会犯愚蠢的错误或在同龄人面前尴尬。如果没有得到适当的关怀和支持，学习者可能在语言学习过程中遇到很大困难。这就是为什么教师需要在教育环境中提供情感支持。这里有四种方法可以帮助：在课堂上表现出支持态度总是有帮助的。虽然这些学生在新语言学习过程中可能感觉有点慢，但他们在课堂外都是能干的成年人。他们正在努力掌握人生中可以尝试的最具挑战性的技能之一。向他们展示你意识到他们正在经历的挑战，并提供耐心和同理心，这对帮助他们完成任务大有裨益。在设计课程计划时，我们需要注意，我们选择的任务和技术应该在认知上具有挑战性，但情感上不应过于压倒性。当我们意识到学生的语言自我时，我们会考虑叫谁回答问题，如何分组配对，何时提供纠正，如何构建和计划活动，以及我们可以对特定学生有多“严格”。最后一点在英语国家教学时尤其相关。在这种情况下，学生很可能在内心发展第二个自我时经历适度的身份危机。我们应该提醒他们，在第二文化中发展第二个自我是一个正常自然的过程。总之，关注学生的语言自我可以帮助他们不仅在认知上，而且在情感和情感上成为更有效的学习者。

文章概要

本文探讨了语言自我概念在第二语言学习中的重要性，特别是针对成人学习者。文章解释了语言自我如何作为学习第二语言时产生的第二身份，可能导致学习者感到脆弱和防御。作者强调了教师在教学中关注学生情感状态、提供情感支持的必要性，并提出了四种具体方法：展示支持态度、设计认知挑战但情感不过度的任务、考虑学生分组和纠正时机、以及在跨文化环境中帮助学生应对身份危机。文章最终指出，关注语言自我有助于学习者在认知和情感层面都成为更有效的学习者。

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