Cummins and Swain 1986a

Cummins, Jim, and Merrill Swain. 1986a. "Language proficiency and academic achievement." In Candlin 1986. (Chapter originally appeared as article of the same title by J. Cummins in Oller 1983.) Interest level: academic.

States that being able to manipulate and interpret cognitively demanding, context-reduced text grows from using language in contextually-embedded situations. Discusses the difference between L2 face-to-face communication and the competence required for an L2 cognitive or academic task (page 140). Quotes several authors who assign a central role to prediction as a basis for comprehending both written and oral language (Goodman 1967; Smith 1978a; and Oller 1979 who use the term "pragmatic expectancy grammar.")

Asserts that "the central role assigned to the pragmatic expectancy grammar in using and learning language implies that a 'discrete skills' approach to language teaching (either L1 or L2) is likely to be futile" (page 143). Comments on the difference between speaking and listening (page 149). Refers to the radical difference between conversation and writing (pages 149-150).

Concludes that "schools have often contributed to students' academic difficulties by failing to ensure that initial literacy instruction is sufficiently context-embedded and culturally appropriate to students' backgrounds" (page 159).

• Bibliography module: Cummins and Swain 1986a
• In overview module: Bibliography (Literacy): C
• In modular book: Bibliography (Literacy), by Doris Gallemore, Trudi C. Hunt, Jeanne Swanson, and Stephen L. Walter
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

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