Metalanguage
Excerpts from the Approaches to learning and teaching series, courtesy of Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment International Education: cambridge.org/approachestolearning
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Important note on the use of metalanguage with Primary learners: For Primary age learners, metalanguage use must be age-appropriate. The value of an explicit focus on language is recognised and there is an expectation that child-friendly, learner-centred inductive approaches focused on guided discovery / supported noticing of aspects of language will be used. Language focus lessons in the Primary classroom typically teach language in a holistic way that integrates a focus on grammar and lexis. For older Primary learners, it is possible to begin to separate lexis and grammar.
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What is metalanguage?
Metalanguage is the language that teachers and learners use to talk about English as a Second Language (e.g. to identify different tenses or parts of speech). Using metalanguage makes it easier for you to explain language and how it is used; it also makes it easier for learners to categorise the language and understand how it works. Metalanguage can be used to illustrate similarities and differences between English and the learners’ first language. Check that all learners have the same understanding of metalanguage and the same confidence in using it, particularly in the earlier stages of the Primary curriculum. Take care to keep the metalanguage you use as consistent as possible to avoid confusion. If there is too much emphasis on metalanguage, your lessons may become more focused on grammatical competence than on communicative competence. When deciding which metalanguage to use in the classroom, you should consider the following questions:
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