Providing grounds for one’s own learning and one’s use of language

The axiological dimension of linguistic educational and, practically, all forms of educational applications of language tends to be grossly neglected. In other words, how we value the language(s) we use and what specifically we appreciate in it will generally fall outside the area of educators’ and students’ reflection. Instead of – explicitly – posing questions concerning what vocabulary we hold in high esteem or which language structures we view as crucial to the way we think (with such questions actually sounding amusing or odd to many language users not accustomed to this type of reflection), schools and educational stake-holders tend to that the language(s) for granted and just keep using it/them, without being bothered by assigning and discussing the significance of the particular items or characteristics of the language(s). Such a neglect is indisputably detrimental as it takes away from us a potential boost provided by our realised (and externalised) beliefs as people naturally learn more effectively and durably the issues they value and – for whatever private, educational, or professions reasons – hold firm beliefs in. As we have already observed throughout the sequence of ERL Journal’s volumes, the learning and the use of language(s) are best comprehended and developed if seen as comprising various domains, one of which are our beliefs.