A state-of-the-art analysis of the definition and impact of language awareness

Abstract

Language awareness appears to have ramifications for cognitive, psychological, social, as well as political and cultural factors in today's multiethnic and multilingual communities. Language awareness (LA) is a method of learning that is intimately connected to the curriculum experiences that take place in a classroom. Due to the potential advantages of this strategy, practitioners and specialists in the field have developed a keen interest in how LA and extracurricular activities interact. However, LA appears to be a complex construct, connected to a number of different domains, with numerous conceptual implications for learning new languages. The current review aims to clarify its complexity and identify any potential underlying causes that may have an impact on LA. In addition to encouraging teachers to take the initiative to suggest LA activities in their classes, our goal is to assist practitioners in the field in understanding this difficult subject. The review highlights some of the current research on the impacts of LA in the cognitive, linguistic, affective, emotional, or cultural domains and suggests new directions for further study.