Discourse and Content in Language Teaching

I have been reading "Discourse and Context in Language Teaching" by Marianne Celce-Murcia and Elite Olshtain.

The book shows how the choice of grammar and lexis is affected by the discourse level and the implications of this for language teaching.

Celce-Murcia & Olshtain talk about the importance of 'Pragmatics' and how the speaker's intention and context affects the meaning of what they say.

The affects of discourse on phonology are analysed (intonation, rhythm, etc.) as in the effect of discourse on grammatical forms.

Celce-Murcia & Olshtain make it clear that all new grammar forms must be presented and tested in context.

Complete texts can be used to present vocabulary, however the authors concede that there are different ways of teaching vocabulary.

The authors investigate the different skills and suggest that we use both top-down and bottom-up strategies in reading, listening, writing and speaking and suggests ways that all these strategies (particularly the top-down) can be taught.

The final part of the book suggests how this can be implemented in the design of syllabuses and curriculums.

Borrowed from the Library at Tower Hamlets College, Arbour Square, L0ndon E1