Commentary
General theories of learning often incorporate language and communication, as language is important in most psychological and educational theories, and also a key aspect of 'general didactics/methodology', including classroom management, counselling students, interacting with parents, resolving problems and dealing with conflicts, etc.. For instance, in developmental psychology, the extent to which language and cognitive development is intertwined can prepare teachers for appreciating the importance of appropriate levels of language to support learning. Moreover, the importance of safe and supportive learning environments, a topic with important implications for classroom management, influences how teachers should cater for learners who need specific support and scaffolding to feel comfortable participating in class.
In recent years, some teacher education institutions have also introduced modules with a specific focus on the language dimension of learning. Examples of module titles are 'Communication in education', 'Language education' or 'Applied linguistics for all teachers'. Often, the focus is on the learning of the language of schooling, but also on other languages, such as home languages and foreign languages. Tables 3 and 4 in section B below illustrate two such modules.