Applied Linguistics has, since its beginning, attempted to employ principles and methods of research used more effectively and successfully by the physical sciences. Collection and analysis of language learning data has thus taken a Newtonian, cause-and-effect perspective, relying on isolation of factors, purity of experimental conditions and rigorous, quantitative interpretation. During the twentieth century, however, the “hard” sciences which had given birth to this view of the universe found it to be incomplete, and turned to more holistic ways of investigating time/space, weather, plant cell growth, and other phenomena which cannot be described or predicted in any but probabilistic terms. Complexity theory and systems theory are two examples of this new way of viewing data. Both are universally accepted in physical and social sciences, but have yet to be generally accepted in the field of language learning, largely because of difficulties associated with the identification and analysis of data. This paper examines some of these problems, and identifies some implications of systems and complexity theories for ELT teachers and-researchers.
목차
COMPLEXITY Open Systems Connectivity Nonreducibility Emergent Behavior Unpredictability and Regularity Equifinality The Avalanche Effect SYSTEMS CONCLUSION THE AUTHOR REFERENCES
저자
Andrew Finch [ Kyungpook National University, Korea ]
The goals of Asia TEFL are to promote scholarship, disseminate information, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding among persons concerned with the teaching and learning of English in Asia. In order to accomplish this, Asia TEFL will pursue the following goals:
1. To link ELT professionals in joint research on issues and concerns regarding English teaching and learning in the Asian context.
2. To publish an academic journal, The Asia TEFL Journal, as an internationally recognized journal in the field of English language teaching.
3. To host conferences and seminars addressing important issues concerning ELT in Asia.
4. To develop proficiency guidelines and assessment methods designed for the needs of the Asian context.
5. To develop programs for Asian learners and teachers of English to build their English language proficiency and cultural understanding and provide them with the skills required to be efficient English teaching professionals.