Why should language teachers be interested in psycholinguistics?

This essay was written by J. Rafael Angel Mendoza in 1998, for the subject of Applied Linguistics, taught
by Carol Lethaby.

University of Guadalajara, Modern Foreign Language School

Psycholinguistcs is sometimes defined as the study of language and the mind. As the name suggests, it is
a subject that links psychology and linguistics and, therefore, its purpose is to find out about the
structures and processes that underlie humans ability to speak and understand language (Aitchison,
1986). For this reason psycholinguistics is presented as an instrument of communication among people
that arises in every social area; for example, teaching.

Aitchison (1986) states that psycholinguistics is not only focused on language interaction between
people; it is also focused on what is happening with the individual. Among the variety of topics, three
seem to be the most relevant:

1. The acquisition problem, which refers to the human nature of being born equipped with a certain
linguistic knowledge, or to the humans capacity to learn language due to their intelligence.

2. The link between language knowledge and language use, which consists of the internal representation
of language anyone has (linguistic knowledge), rather than the way people actually use language.
Language usage is linked to language knowledge in a way that one can:

a) Understand sentences (decode)

b) Produce sentences (encode)

c) Store linguistic knowledge.

Nevertheless, the way people store linguistic knowledge would appear to be the defining element in the
reason why language teachers should possess interest in psycholinguistics, since it is he only area where
linguistics can actually calculate and obtained fata from the internalized language one has acquired.

3. Producing and comprehending speech, which is the fact occurring exactly when a person understands
and produces sentences. This means that when one is producing/using language, an infinite number of
sentences can be generated and understood.

Thus, since psycholinguists deal with the different aspects of language, language teachers interest could
arise when considering different methodology explorations, as well as language development:
acquisition phases, learning stages, grammar/structures dominance, degrees of production, among
others.

Language is extremely complex; therefore, it is essential to realize how essential it is to become familiar
with all the processes comprised in language learning. Since the language classroom is the lab room
where different learning experiences take place, language teachers can function as researchers who,
utilizing the principles psycholinguistics offers, can find and devise methods and approaches that benefit
students language learning and development (Jackendoff, 1994).

Likewise, involving psycholinguistics paradigms in ones appreciation of the teaching process has many
advantages, as each new way to teach will result in a multiple diverse ways of learning. In other ways,
the rapport between teachers and learners will diversify, as teachers will be able to provide
differentiated ways of learning according to learning styles. Moreover, students performance should
offer teachers new scenarios for continuing to enhance their strategy repertoire and their
understanding of the teaching/learning process.

Conclusively, since part of language teachers duties is to empower students to understand their own
learning process, the study of linguistics equips teachers with the background to visualize how learners
interact with their learning, with a series of understandings to best concoct learning situations in which
students, besides acquiring and developing language skills, also enhance their learning process as a
whole.

Psycholinguistic study gives us knowledge of the

underlying
processes of language in the human mind,
how we come about to store linguistic information and understand each other in communication. There
may be differences in the reasons to carry out this type of study coming from a psychological or a
linguistic perspective, but research here is generally important to find ways to improve the quality of
human experience in relation to language and communication. For example, better teaching methods can
often be developed and, once the fundamental reasons behind the difficulties are understood, methods of
therapy can be considered for individuals with impaired language, much like the improvements to King
George VI's stammering you may have seen if you have watched The King's Speech before.
As well as internal factors, the social environment that surrounds a human being is crucial to allow
effective language and communication. Individuals need to experience their surroundings as well as
possible. Some cases of social deprivation, where language contact is found to be lessened, show
difficulties with language use. Extremities of these such as the case of Genie, can help to shed some light
on the mysteries of psycholinguistics.
Psycholinguistics or Linguistics of psychology is the study of the psychological and neurological factors
that enable humans to acquire, use and understand language. Psycholinguistics is interdisciplinary in
nature and is studied by people in a variety of fields, such as psychology, cognitive science, and
linguistics. There are several subdivisions within psycholinguistics that are based on the components
that make up human language.

In this subject priority topics to be discussed are language, brain and cognition; psycholinguistics and
mass media; first and second language acquisition; bilingualism and multilingualism; human
communication models and computers; psycholinguistic analysis of literary texts; oral vs. written
communication; psycholinguistics of translation and interpreting; language, communication and
education; speech comprehension and production.

There are areas for todays Psycholinguistics which define its practical importance and future,
broadening the scope of application of Psycholinguistic methods and strengthening the ties between
Psycholinguistics and other branches of science. Today Psycholinguistics is making great strides forward
by stimulating the emergence of the new and enriching the existing methods of research.

Through multidimensional approaches, Psycholinguistics proves to have a potential of solving problems

facing people and mankind in the 21st century. Few of them are the following:

The psycholinguistic approach has a problem solving relation in ELT, and that it has a blocking function
of the negative transfers of the interferences from the mother tongue to the target language in terms of
teaching reading-writing-listening-speaking skills. Developmental psycholinguistics studies infants' and
children's ability to learn language, usually with experimental or at least quantitative methods. In
addition, it is much more difficult for adults to acquire second languages than it is for infants to learn
their first language (bilingual infants are able to learn both of their native languages easily). Thus, critical
periods may exist during which language is able to be learned readily. A great deal of research in
psycholinguistics focuses on how this ability develops and diminishes over time. It also seems to be the
case that the more languages one knows, the easier it is to learn more.

In sum, it is the psycholinguistic approach that primarily forms the ways of language learning and
developing learning and acquisition processes. It is a real problem identifier, problem solver, and a
facilitator. It must be borne in mind that specifying and then solving the intrinsic difficulties in language
learning, which is the prime occupation of the psycholinguistic approach, cannot be regarded as an easy
task.

Another aspect of psycholinguistics involves studying individual use of language to understand the
mental processes of the individual, a potentially useful tool for psychologists.

Psycholinguistics covers the cognitive processes analyses the processes that make it possible to form a
correct sentence out of vocabulary and grammatical structures. This process is called codification.
Psycholinguistics also studies the factors that account for decodification, i.e., the psychological
structures that allow us to understand utterances, words, sentences, texts etc.
Much methodology in psycholinguistics takes the form of behavioral experiments. In these types of
studies, subjects are presented with some form of linguistic input and asked to perform a task (e.g.
make a judgement, reproduce the stimulus, read a visually presented word aloud). Reaction times
(usually on the order of milliseconds) and proportion of correct responses are the most often employed
measures of performance.

Such tasks might include, for example, asking the subject to convert nouns into verbs; e.g., "book"
suggests "to write," "water" suggests "to drink," and so on. Another experiment might present an active
sentence such as "Bob threw the ball to Bill" and a passive equivalent, "The ball was thrown to Bill by
Bob" and then ask the question, "Who threw the ball?" We might then conclude (as is the case) that
active sentences are processed more easily (faster) than passive sentences. More interestingly, we
might also find out (as is the case) that some people are unable to understand passive sentences; we
might then make some tentative steps towards understanding certain types of language deficits
(generally grouped under the broad term, aphasia).

Computational modelling is another methodology. It refers to the practice of setting up cognitive

models in the form of executable computer programs. Such programs are useful because they motivate
theorists to be explicit in their hypotheses and because they can be used to generate accurate
predictions for theoretical models that are so complex that they render discursive analysis (Discursive
psychological studies highlight the way people construct versions of 'mental', 'social' and 'material'
events and processes as parts of particular practices), unreliable. Psycholinguistics plays its important
role in this regard.

Another field where psycholinguistics has role to play is Forensic psycholinguistics. Psycholinguistics is
the study of the relationship between linguistic behavior and psychological processes of the speaker or
writer that underlie that behavior. Forensic psycholinguistics applies the field of psycholinguistics to
criminal or civil cases. A young discipline, forensic psycholinguistics combines the practical experience of
seasoned investigators with knowledge gained from the research of experts within the disciplines of
psychology and linguistics, including sociolinguistics.

Areas of Using Psycholinguistics

Psycholinguistics is no longer only a subject of universities studies.

Psycholinguistics is a universal tool for business and personal use.

Businesses can use it to enhance customer relationship by adding psychological characteristics to

customer profiles. Analyzing customers requests, letters, e-mails and faxes you can routinely get
prompt and unveiled feedback, which the customer probably never intended to reveal, information
previously available only by expensive research.

Psycholinguistic analysis makes possible to extract valuable marketing information from any kind of
stored messages on daily basis without special surveys.
Marketing can benefit from psycholinguistic analysis narrowing and specifying market segmentation,
highly focusing promotions and campaigns by creating emotionally colored advertisement texts or
defining most successful trademarks.

Strategic managers may get great advantage over counterparts analyzing business information, such as:
business reports, political speeches, press releases, newspaper or magazine articles, business
correspondence, etc. They will be able to recognize warning signs in business environment, avoid
surprises, adapt and act effectively.

To conclude psycholinguistics is not confined to psychologists and linguists. Many people have been
stirred by splendid visions of its practical possibilities. One thinks of medical applications to the diagnosis
and treatment of a heterogeneous variety of language disorders ranging from simple stammering to the
overwhelming complexities of aphasia. One thinks too of pedagogical applications, of potential
improvements in our methods for teaching reading and writing, or for teaching second languages. If
psycholinguistic principles were made sufficiently explicit, they could be imparted to those technological
miracles of the twenty first century, the computing machines, which would bring into view a whole
spectrum of cybernetic possibilities.

It allows the teacher to be better at knowing the capabilities of the students according to their age and
gender and hence how well they can perform tasks.

Knowledge of different personalities and patterns of normal and abnormal child behaviour is achieved.
By studying developmental psychology it becomes easier for the teacher to read, observe and relate to
students. The importance of adolescent psychology amongst teachers is important on behalf of the
teacher for knowledge of developmental milestones achieved during adolescence and leadership. By
studying adolescent psychology, the teacher is better equipped to recognize abnormal behaviors
patterns and to develop interpersonal relationships with their students.

olinguistics is key important in the development of the teaching and learning English process. We
teachers must know how language learning takes place in peoples mind; besides, what factors are
influencing positive or negative responses by the part of our students. Moreover, to get to know all the
theory behind the acquisition of second languages helps teachers expanding their knowledge on how
children, young adults and older adults learn.

Children have the innate capacity of acquiring languages (universal grammar, Chomsky, 1972), they
learn language inductively and receive input from the environment in which they are exposed to;
therefore, they internalize information and generalize rules in order to communicate with people. This
acquisition process gives teachers one relevant aspect on the understanding how people learn
languages; besides the theory is telling teachers how to teach second language as a natural
process(natural approach, krashen,1970).

There are some factors influencing the development of our students in class such as affective domains
which contributes to the success of langue learning. Affection refers to emotions and feeling and as
language is a behavior (pike,1967) people may feel comfortable at the moment of expressing
themselves, besides the affective filter in the classroom should be low to avoid anxiety for language
learning takes place. Teacher must try to stop inhibition with students and help them at the moment of
taking risks; also, teacher must bring extrinsic motivation to students in order to make them feel valued
on the communicative act of interpersonal exchange. Regarding these students may feel intrinsically
motivated to learn.

There are differences between how children and adults learn a second language also, in particular
setting such as natural and classroom situations. Adults tend to prefer an explication of the language
itself and there is also good learning inductively; meanwhile it is easier for children to acquire language
inductively (induction) not explicative. Both children and adult adopt strategies in order to memorize
words; however, children tend to develop better pronunciation of words, and more vocabulary.
Teachers must be carefully at the moment of developing their classes, because there are many factors
during the process such as the age of people which may influence the understanding of language.

To conclude, when teachers are performing their classes should bear in mind the complexity of
psycholinguistics on how the process of teaching and learning are carried out. The way in which people
acquire languages and how we teacher can teach a language affectively. Finally, psycholinguistics
contributes as a holistic field in the understanding of how people learn languages at different stages of
life.