Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Second Edition

suprasegmental.
selection see also sequencing; grading. The decision about which items
should be taught in the syllabus for a particular course.
SELMOUS Universities preparing Special English Language Material for
Overseas University Students. C/o CILT (q.v.).
semantic field The general area of meaning covered by particular lexical
items in relation to other items. (1) The item plant belongs to two
fields: (a) that including tree, bush and grass, and (b) that including
machinery, factory and industry. (2) Uncle in English contrasts with
aunt in covering male siblings of both mother and father. Cf. lexical
set.
semantics The study of meaning and how it is expressed through language
and in particular languages.
semiotics The science of signs. Saussure saw linguistics as a part of
semiotics, in that language is only the most intricate of a number of
systems, e.g. gesture, proxemics (q.v.), but also architecture, clothing,

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Glossary
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etc., which structure communication between human beings.
Sometimes loosely used to include only gesture, or only language-
related systems. Cf. para-language.
sequencing In syllabus design, the establishing of an order for the teaching
of items which have been selected. Criteria may include frequency of
usage, complexity, generalisability. Cf. selection; grading.
sign language (1) A system of gestures as an alternative to spoken
language, invented to assist deaf people. This may simply translate the
alphabet into movements of the hands and arms, or may use signs to
represent particular ideas directly, without spelling out words. (2)
(Loosely) the use of gesture to communicate by human beings, e.g.
nodding, beckoning, etc.
silent way A language teaching procedure associated with Gattegno.
Groups of learners are introduced to a new language through a highly
structured programme of intricate techniques. The teacher is
encouraged to restrict his speech to the minimum so that students are
forced to become fully engaged in creating and establishing successful
language behaviour themselves.
simulation A teaching technique in which students act out languageusing
situations with or without preparation. Sometimes distinguished from
role play (q.v.) in that in simulation students are expected to behave
appropriately in the setting, but the emphasis is not on the adoption of
a different personality.
situational approach Based on selected situations as settings for language
to be taught. Situational syllabuses might organise learning through a
sequence of situations. Situational compositions require learners to
produce writing appropriate to the demands of specific situations.
skill A psychological term loosely used in EFL to cover any learned ability.
The ‘four skills’ are listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Behaviourist psychology regarded language learning as the acquisition
of skills by habit formation.
SL Second language.
sociolinguistics The study of language in its social setting; typical concerns
are class dialects, appropriacy of style and register (q.v.), and social
function.
speech act What a language user does with a particular utterance; three
common speech acts are assertion, question and command. See
illocution; perlocution.
spiral syllabus A syllabus in which, instead of the traditional linear
sequence, the planned course returns regularly to selected areas which
are developed and extended.
SQ3R A study technique for reading comprehension, consisting of the
sequence: survey, question, read, recite, and revise.
S-R Stimulus response: a basic concept of behaviourist learning theory.

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