La Linguistique Appliquée Aux Manuels D'Alphabétisation

Abstract

This article, written from the perspective of applied linguistics, sets out to establish an interface between educational science and linguistics. Applied linguistics alone has proved unable to resolve the problems of teaching and learning the mother tongue in the context of literacy teaching. From this realisation emerged the idea that any policy concerned with the mother tongue has to be formulated within a broader educational policy.

The drawing up of a manual implies a philosophy of language associated with a particular linguistic model. In other words, applied linguistics provides the foundations which permit the compiling or selecting of manuals of instruction. However, these principles demand a reform of educational policy. This calls for a revision of teacher training courses and the introduction of interdisciplinary teams. The article argues that teaching methods should be based on a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the mother tongue.