Theoretical And Practical Considerations Of Internet-Based Foreign Language Education

This dissertation discusses the theoretical and practical issues of internet-based foreign language education. Foreign language education involves language, language learning and language teaching, therefore, it will seek the theoretical basis from theories of linguistics, psychology, second language acquisition and language teaching methodology.Linguistic theories that have made contributions to foreign language education include traditional linguistics, historical comparative linguistics, structural linguistics, generative transformational linguistics, and systemic-functional linguistics. The contributions that traditional linguistics made to foreign language education are the way of analyzing language and the theoretical basis for the grammar-translation method, for the study of the written form and for the emphasis on the accuracy of language use. The contributions that historical comparative linguistics made to foreign language education are the way of comparing languages and the theoretical justification for the use of such comparisons. The impacts of structural linguistics on foreign language education are the audiolingual method, the emphasis on the spoken form, the objectivity of rule presentation and of language testing results. The theoretical basis for the cultivation of linguistic competence, for the understanding and application of language rules, and for the different attitude towards error comes from the theory of generative transformational linguistics. The recent use of communicative language teaching method to develop students' communicative competence, the emphasis on the functions of language, and the context of language use have direct connection with the theory of systemic functional linguistics.Psychological theories that have made contributions to foreign language education are Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, behaviorist psychology, cognitive psychology and constructivist learning theory. Gestalt psychology helps us to understand the relation between the parts and the whole, and help us to make good use of the relation in language teaching. Psychoanalysis gives us a better understanding of the unconscious mind and the justification for the use of it. Behaviorist psychology provides us with atheoretical basis for the use of consequence to reinforce learning and for the use of drills. Cognitive psychology helps us to realize the importance of the active role of learner, of students' needs and their existing knowledge in the learning process. The constructivist learning theory makes us realize the importance of exploration, independence and cooperation in the learning process.The habit-formation theory makes us realize the importance of good language habit and the function of imitation and drills. The hypothesis of linguistic universals justifies our use of mother tongue and the core grammar in our teaching. The acculturation theory and accommodation theory help us realize the importance of culture in language learning. The discourse theory tells us that language can only be acquired through communication and the monitor theory helps us realize the importance of language input and affective factors in language learning. The variable competence model, the neurofunctional theory and the cognitive theory offer us explanations for the relation between linguistic knowledge and its application from different angles.Different foreign language teaching theories have different views on language and learning, because they take different linguistic and psychological theories as their basis. The implication offered by these methods is language teaching can be done with different ways and the use of a given method depend on the students, conditions and the teaching purposes. The author of this dissertation takes the view that language proficiency should be developed on the basis of linguistic competence, language teaching should be done according to students' needs, language should be learned through communication, and it is very important to for the students to learn the target cultu...