Linguistics in teacher-training: some general points
- The main question to be discussed in this chapter is: what kind of understanding of language -is relevant in teaching the mother tongue-or foreign languages, or in teaching in general? _Which linguistic concepts~should be presented to teachers and how? What therefore is the relation between linguistics and teacher-training? Language is complex, so some simplification In the presentation is inevitable; but how can the simplification be managed without distorting the material or patronising the audience? These questions are not often discussed explicitly by linguistics, although it is only professional linguists who have the necessary knowledge and full-time commitment to linguistics which would allow them to select what is relevant to teachers, or to any other professionals. Educationalists could not be expected to do this for the simple reason that there is so much in con- temporary linguistics which is of no direct relevance to education. It is arguably a social responsibility of linguists as a profession to present to non-linguists in an accessible way the aspects of knowledge about language which are of important practical value.