Dos construtos teóricos para as aplicações : o professor como um dos mediadores

Abstract

Aspects connected with language from different points of view are dealt with in this text which aims to highlight the importance of a broad training when the relationship between theoretical constructs and applications, as well as the existence of possible mediators, are taken into account. A rigorous look at the above-mentioned relationship will lead to the evaluation of the weight of each one of its terms and not to over- or underestimate either of them based or not upon misconceptions. Points used to exemplify the content of this text are the following: 1) spontaneous and scientific concepts from an ontogenetic perspective using the definition of sentence and the acquisition of language structures by pre-school and school-age children; 2) the distinction between language descriptive studies and language in action; 3) theoretical approaches taken as research strategies; 4) the influence of the developments of neurosciences as a way of looking at language. To conclude and bearing in mind the final part of the title of this text, as far as language is concerned since Linguistics is under discussion, a responsible intervention supported by a solid knowledge of the possible mediators in the abovementioned relationship (teachers, authors of programmes and school coursebooks, as well as revisers) is stressed. Indeed, training which should allow them to know who is acquiring what and how is expected from them. Moreover, they should possess a critical stance enabling them to conduct a serious evaluation of each one of the terms of the above referred to relationship and to reject immediately blind applications of the different theoretical constructs.