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Investigating Language Awareness: The Role of Terminology

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Awareness in Action

Part of the book series: Second Language Learning and Teaching ((SLLT))

Abstract

This chapter examines critically the way in which metalinguistic terminology has been exploited in a number of tests designed to investigate various constructs which may be loosely grouped under the heading ‘language awareness’. The concept of language awareness is first discussed and a number of tests of it involving terminology are compared. Then a number of problems with such use of terminology are discussed, namely: a failure to distinguish terminology from metalanguage, a failure to question whether any kind of metalanguage is required, a failure to distinguish scientific and pedagogic terminology, and problems with the design of the tests. These points are then applied in a critical evaluation of items from two such tests, showing above all that tests using terminology are in great danger of losing their validity, of becoming tests of terminology alone and not of language awareness. The chapter concludes with suggestions for designers of tests involving terminology.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    From 2001 to 2002 I was Chief Examiner for the writing paper of LPATE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lingnan University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Roger Berry

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  1. Roger Berry
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Correspondence to Roger Berry .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of English, University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland

    Andrzej Łyda

  2. Institute of English, University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland

    Konrad Szcześniak

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Berry, R. (2014). Investigating Language Awareness: The Role of Terminology. In: Łyda, A., Szcześniak, K. (eds) Awareness in Action. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00461-7_2

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