Discourse theory in not applied when teaching languages (Community)

Lately* it has been agreed that applying "discourse theory" in teaching a foreign language is very effective. Discourse theory is the theory that language development should be considered in terms of how the learner discovers the meaning potential of language by participating in communication.However it is obvious that this language teaching technique is ruled out of our educational system* because most of the college graduate students lack the ability to communicate in their chosen languages. When they go abroad to pursue higher studies* they are unable to make conversation and suddenly find it difficult to compete with their classmates for first grades. Probably* this is a result of neglecting discourse theory in language teaching methodology. Unfortunately* what is happening in our universities is that the teacher lectures a class of students as silent as stones because they are not allowed to share their opinions on the particular lesson. In other words* the classroom is the teacher?s domain and students have no say. What is more* teachers can be sometimes put down a student who tries to participate and this is detrimental to their ability to speak in public later on in life* whether it be delivering a speech or speaking in front of a camera. It is difficult to learn a language without developing good speaking skills and a great wonder that some are able to make great progress in their chosen language despite never having practiced what they have studied in theory. It is vital to consider how a teaching technique benefits the development of a language itself* i.e. how much new language is introduced and learnt* and how interactive and communicative its use is. In other words* the more a language is practiced* the faster a student learns. A teacher's job is not only to explain the lesson* but also to let students participate in* discuss and further explore the taught lesson by making the classroom more communicative and interactive. Perhaps* the main goal of teaching a language is to help people think logically* and be a role model for students by not treating them oppressively. Robert Hutchins* former Chicago University president from 1939 to 51 says* "Education isn't to reform students or make them expert technicians. It is to unsettle their minds* widen their horizons* inflame their intellects* and teach them to think straight." Students must develop independence inside and outside the classroom and teachers should explain learning strategies to guide them well. It is recommended that teachers adopt the communicative teaching technique* so students can spontaneously exchange information. If students learn through communication* they will be prepared to speak both in and out of the classroom. According to Cook* "Communicative teaching methods make the students talk to each other because they see second-language learning as growing out of the give-and-take of communication." To sum up* it is very strongly recommended that concerned institutions take this problem into account* to reform* improve* and update language teaching techniques so as to avoid such serious educational lapses....

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