Corporación Universitaria del Caribe “CECAR”

Bachelor in Education in Teaching English as a Foreign

Language Program
English Linguistics
First Assignment

Objective: To have a clear understanding

of the terms Competence & Performance
based on different authors and the relation
to L2

Resource: “Competence and

performance in learning and teaching:
theories and practices” by David Newby

“Competence and performance in learning and teaching: theories and practices”

examines the different ways in which both competence and performance have
been defined by linguists and how these different interpretations have
influenced foreign language learning and teaching. Read the article carefully
and develop the answers in this workshop.

1. Chomsky’s states the “distinction between competence (the speaker-

hearer's knowledge of his language) and performance (the actual use of
language in concrete situations)” He further states that “Observed use of
language cannot constitute the actual subject matter of linguistics. (1Pt.)

a. Based on Chomsky definition about competence and performance,

describe how this competence could be clear evident in an L2
classroom. (You can give examples.)
b. Give reasons why performance cannot constitute matter of linguistics
but competence can? Cite at least an author

1. “We have to account for the fact that a normal child acquires
knowledge of sentences, not only as grammatical, but also as
appropriate. He or she acquires competence as to when to speak,
when not, and as to what to talk about with whom, when, where, in
what manner (Hymes).” What does this sentence mean? And how the
idea does not necessarily show Chomsky’s idea about competence
and performance?(1Pt.)

Author: Martha Lucía Bonilla

Revised and adapted by: Rubén Mauricio Muñoz
 2. Halliday states “Can mean is a ‘realization of can do” this corresponds
to the second criticism of Chomsky’s view of competence and
performance and also concern the functional dimension of a language.
Describe the second criticism and the functional dimension.(1Pt)

3. Is language a unit of linguistic analysis? Explain and cite author(s).

(1Pt)

4. What does Chomsky say opposite to the affirmations on the left? (1Pt)

Langacker, Heine , Tomasello and Chomsky

Jackendoff
 language is not an autonomous
cognitive faculty
 grammar is conceptualization
 knowledge of language
emerges from language use

5. What are the schematic constructs? (1Pt)

6. In 1980 Canale and Swain provided a description of competence

based on four categories. What are those categories? Explain. (1Pt)

7. After reading all the competences described in the CEFR what do you
think CEFR perception about competence and performance? Is it more
related to social or individual? Is it more linguistic? Or not? (1Pt)

8. Write your own conclusions about competence and performance and

how these two terms affect the SLA? (2Pts.)

Author: Martha Lucía Bonilla

Revised and adapted by: Rubén Mauricio Muñoz