Structuralism, Transformational Grammar, and Sociolinguistics: An Analysis of Three Methods of Language Teaching

A review of the literature shows how both pure & applied linguistics have been heavily influenced by the schools of structuralism, transformational grammar, & sociolinguistics. Special attention is given to the way in which these schools have exerted their own mark upon second-lang (L2) instruction. Depending on the goals of instruction, a teacher may wish to select the theoretical orientation most appropriate for the immediate task at hand. Structuralism would provide a good theoretical background for a course stressing the more automatic aspects of lang, eg, pronunciation. Transformational or sociolinguistic approaches would be appropriate in other contexts. 30 References. M. Meeks