Job Discussion Forums

[amandajoy99]

i've been doing some teaching english abroad for a while, and some other education-related experience (interpretive park rangering), and am sort of considering a career (CAREER? what's that?) in language/culture education. i am curious to see if anyone knows something about applied linguistics programs - what types there are, what qualifications you need to get into one, what the best ones are, and what exactly you might do with such a degree.

[you forgot Poland]

Just use the search tool, there's more information already on this site about applied linguistics than you're probably willing to read

[shmooj]

[amandajoy99]

sorry. new to this site. totally posting on the wrong forum, and somehow missed the whole "search" thing at the top of the screen.
my first degree is in linguistic anthropology. i love languages, and am interested in linguistic/cultural education. i posted because i have a phobia of academia and am afraid an advanced degree would turn out NOT to be what i expect. but it seems like the best idea would be to search myself for answers to my specific questions and concerns on other forums and other sites.
thanks!

[you forgot Poland]

It sounds like you would be an excellent candidate for a masters in languages...it would certainly help if you actually loved languages, like you say you do.
As for being afraid of academia, from my personal experience, after about a year or two of school I look forward to working, and after a year or two of work I look forward to going back to school. If you're hesitant, you probably shouldn't go back right away, there should be plenty of teaching opportunities for you based on your undergrad and prior experience...just keep your MA in the back of your mind in case you feel trapped after you do land a job.
Note: As someone just told me on the post above this one, Applied linguistics is looked upon more favorably in general with regards to teaching ESL than traditional linguistics...I assume the reason is because of less theory, more practice. Check out gradschools.com for more info, and keep your bookmarks organized, mine was out of control for awhile...a few dozen sites to regularly check ought to keep you well informed enough. PM me if you want a start on some good sites; I just started posting here, but it's been a big resource for months now..

Cheers

[lozwich]

I'm interested in this question myself, but also how it connects with the distance learning debate.

I've read elsewhere on this forum that its not a good idea to do a MA in TESOL via distance because of the lack of teaching practice. I agree with that, but is Applied Linguistics solely theoretical, and therefore a lot more suitable for distance learning?

Have a good day,
Lozwich.

[shmooj]

[Ben Round de Bloc]

Quote:

Kaplan argues that "early applied linguistics was dominantly associated with language teaching" but that "while the relationship continues in the present . . . , the field has diversified." (vii) In his carefully structured introductory account of the field, "Applied linguistics: An emerging discipline for the twenty-first century," (pp. 3-12) William Grabe examines the growing diversity of the field, and the relationship of applied linguistics to linguistics, in some detail. He notes the importance of the concept that "applied linguistics is driven first by real-world problems rather than theoretical explorations," (p. 4) and lists the following areas of problems that applied linguists address, among others: [-1-] Language learning problems (emergence, awareness, rules, use, context, automaticity, attitudes, expertise) Language teaching problems (resources, training, practice, interaction, understanding, use, contexts, inequalities, motivations, outcomes) Literacy problems (linguistic and learning issues) Language contact problems (language and culture) Language inequality problems (ethnicity, class, region, gender, and age) Language policy and planning problems (status planning and corpus planning; ecology of language) Language assessment problems (validity, reliability, usability, responsibility) Language use problems (dialects, registers, discourse communities, gate-keeping situations, limited access to services) Language and technology problems (learning, assessment, access and use) Translation and interpretation problems (on-line, off-line, technology assisted) Language pathology problems (aphasias, dyslexias, physical disabilities) The list gives a reasonable indication of the breadth of the areas addressed in this volume, though some receive fuller treatment than others. Overview of Robert Kaplan's The Oxford Handbook of Applied Linguistics From http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ/ej23/r3.html

This may shed some light in understanding the scope of applied linguistics.

[lozwich]

[shmooj]

Good post Ben...

[indigora]

Nice posts from everyone, especially the inquisitive who would like to get an idea of what a degree in applied linguistics holds for them. I would like to add that some of the most interesting facets to me were not concerned so much with the origins of applied linguistics or even the application of the positions held by Kaplan (??), as provided in the definition earlier in this thread, but with some of the extensions of thought that have come by trying to understand the way in which humans learn. There seems to be a lot of cross-currents of thought in linguistic theory, especially given the uniqueness of language and language learning. As a teacher, I am envigorated by the discussion and all the better for it. As a linguist, I am still looking into the mind and trying to understand how it all works -- while still rejecting some ideas held by other linguists, embracing others, and the jury is still not in. This idea, that the science of linguistics is still evolving, makes it all the more interesting as a discipline of study.

Compared to another discipline, I couldn't help you decide upon that. I wouldn't waste my time with a CELTA or TESOL degree if you have the chance and time to study applied linguistics, however.

If you are looking into a school to study applied linguistics, I would like to plug the University of Southern Queensland. There are several teachers at this school who are reknown, and almost everyone is ready to assist you on your journey.

[Rice Paddy Daddy]

I would argue that the M.A. Applied Linguistics / TESOL programs are still largely theoretical.

In fact, it is common for M.A. Applied Linguistics programs in Australia to not require a supervised teaching component to the program.

Imagine, you don't have to teach even a single class to get an M.A. in TESOL!

Lozwich, good question - my answer is that, surprisingly, "Applied" is a misnomer in this case.

These programs that I'm familiar with in Australia are not very applied.

Do a CELTA for applied, practical classroom skills building and an M.A. Applied Linguistics / TESOL for theoretical background.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Rice Paddy Daddy]

Well, then that explaiins it

American M.A. programs are much more rigorous and well thought out than most of the Australian programs.

At USQ there is no supervised teaching component which is sad, since this is what most empoyers would like to see when applying for a job.

Most Australian M.A. TESOL programs and Applied Linguistics programs are still too theoretical for what most of us are doing - teaching - and I found that the CELTA made up for what I was hoping to gain from the M.A.

On the other hand, the M.A. Applied Linguistics gave me the chance to read about SLA theory and discourse analysis and, etc.

Let me give you an example.

I took Second Language Teaching Methodology for my M.A. I read all about the Silent Way, Audio Lingual and Direct Methods, PPP and Communicative Approaches.

However, as a USQ student, we weren't given a chance to use these methods under the guidance of an experienced teacher.

My point is, at the university I did my M.A., we were required to merely 'read about' the methods - Not use them!

During my CELTA cours, however, I was given a chance to try using a variety of teaching methods and then receive feedback after.

In sum, my view is that many of the Australian M.A. programs are still too theoretical and lack prictice and actual teaching skill development components to the programs.

[Ben Round de Bloc]