The value of linguistics theory to teaching English as a foreign language

Abstract

The paper is addressed to the value of linguistics theory to teaching English as a foreign language. The aims of the current paper have been to examine the significance of linguistics as a theory of language to language teaching; to stimulate teachers’ awareness of the position and relation of theory and practice within the area of teaching. Teachers of English are highly expected not only know how to doing thing, but they are compelled to know why they are doing such thing as teaching. To support the belief, “Teachers in performing their classroom activities are governed by particular rules”, there is a theory behind teaching particular linguistic unit”, information are gathered from literature readings, interviewing, and analysis on some related researches. The collected sense data are displayed by means of table. Analysis and interpretation on preliminary data indicate that some teachers do not realize that teaching is, by definition, using and applying theory. Similarly, some teachers of English are less conscious that the value of theory, i.e. its capability to providing explanation to the issues under studies, may be of assistance for them to successful classroom practitioners. Finally, teachers should realize the merit of theory as it assists them perform better. Linguistics as a theory of language is, therefore, strongly recommended to be taken into serious consideration by teachers