Guidelines and Recommendations for Raising Cross-language Awareness in TLA

Abstract

In the final chapter, I summarise the results of the empirical study and put the empirical findings into practice by presenting guidelines and recommendations for raising cross-language awareness in third language acquisition. The empirical findings, which confirm that speakers conceptualise reality differently often depending on their first language, have shown that this needs to be taken more into account in the context of foreign language teaching and learning, as it poses a potential risk for foreign language learners to develop incorrect linguistic patterns, especially between unrelated languages, which are difficult to overcome if not properly recognised and explained. To this end, I have first analysed the existing and most commonly used frameworks of reference for European languages and Chinese. Based on a critical analysis of these frameworks, I formulated guidelines and recommendations that would be helpful in supplementing the existing language frameworks, especially in the field of develo** cross-language awareness. The guidelines and recommendations encompass also a proposal of the descriptors to develop cross-language competences for Chinese, which can help teachers integrate the content for develo** cross-language competences when teaching Chinese or adapting it to the language of their expertise.