Behaviorism &

Structuralism

behaviourism

Structuralism

•General introduction

Behaviourism

Early 20th century Psychological school Linguistics

Behaviorism or Behaviourism is the theory that scientific enquiry into behaviour should consist only of what can be observed, such as stimuli and responses.

•General introduction

Structuralism

the Early 1900s Psychological school Linguistics

Structural linguistics is an approach to linguistics originating from the work of Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. The structural view treats language as a system of structurally related elements to code meaning

Chapter 1

BEHAVIOURISM

Behaviourism

B.F. Skinner (1904 – 1990)• He was an American

psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher

• The leading behaviorist in psychology

• Skinner's work had effects on education

• Skinner invented the operant conditioning chamber, also known as the Skinner Box

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Behaviourism

• Leonard Bloomfield (1887_1949)

• wasan American linguist who led the development of structural linguistics in the United States during the 1930s and the 1940s

• Bloomfield's approach to linguistics was characterized by its emphasis on the scientific basis of linguistics, adherence to behaviorism.

Behaviourism

• Robert Lado (USA 1915-1995)

• He researched for the best methods of foreign language teaching for military purposes during WW2.

• he developed the contrastive analysis

“Changes in behaviour are the result of an individual's response to events”

“a theory that it’s perspective may be defined as a change of behavior as a result of experience-that can be measured.”

“the meaning of a linguistic form has to be analyzed in term of the important elements of the situation which the speaker utters it.

Skinner’s Theory

Lado’s Theory

Bloomfield’s Theory

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• Behaviorism in the Classroom:

• Rewards and punishments

• Responsibility for student learning rests squarely with the teacher

• Lecture-based, highly structured

Advantages of Behaviourism:

• Easily controlled by the teacher

• Some learners benefit from repetition.

• Rewards and punishments are clear.

• Ease of motivation.

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Disadvantages of Behaviourism: • Ignores thought processes and emotions• Repetition may become boring • Totally teacher orientated• Does not account for processes taking place in

the mind that cannot be observed• Advocates for passive student learning in a

teacher-centric environment• Lack of natural creativity• Relative inefficacy at a high level.

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Chapter 2

Structuralism

• Charles C. Fries (1887-1967)• born in Reading, Pa. He taught at

the University of Michigan where he developed programs in both theoretical and applied linguistics. He and his wife, Agnes Carswell, developed the university's English Language Institute (1941), which pioneered methods and materials for teaching English to foreigners. Among his many books are dictionaries of Early and Middle English

• Ferdinand de Saussure • 1857 – 1913• a Swiss linguist whose ideas

laid a foundation for many significant developments in linguistics in the 20th century

• De Saussure was not satisfied with the historical comparison of language. He stated that such comparison only answered where a language comes from, but not what language is.

Ferdinand de Saussure - Often considered the “father” of structuralism. Central notion of his teachings is that language may be analyzed as a formal system of differential elements, apart from the messy dialectics of real-time production and comprehension. Examples of these elements include the notion of the linguistic sign, the signifier, the signified, and the referent.

1)Language has a structure:

Language is a structure in which each elements interact.

2) Language is a system of signs

Noise is language only when it expresses or communicates ideas.

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• The Dichotomies:

•Synchronic / Diachronic

•Langue / Parole

•Signified / Signifier

•Syntagmatic / Paradigmatic

• Language is speech and not reading or writing• Language is a set of habits• Language is what a native speaker says• Languages are systematically different • Teach the language and not about the language

Moulton (1961)

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