Teaching Language Construction

 

Teaching Language Construction

Studying of a specific feature of the language is new to students and they want to understand and use it or because they want to revise it in order to improve their ability to use it without making errors. The immediate goal of this kind of study is to increase knowledge of the language system so that the longer term aims of improving productive and receptive skills can be achieved.

 

A. Studying structure and use

 A focus on the structure and use of language forms:

·        The morphology of forms

·        The syntax of phrases, clauses and sentences

·        Vocabulary

·        The meaning and functions that phrases and sentences can convey

·        Pronunciation

·        Spelling

 

A1 Language study in lesson sequences

The statues of language study depend on why and when it occurs.

Where the study activity should be placed in the sequences? Should the focus on any necessary language forms take places before, during or after the performance of a communicative task or a receptive skill activity?

 

One approach is for students to study language in variety ways, explore a topic and then use what they have learnt to perform a task. Alternatively, it may happen during a task-based sequence. A third option is to study forms after the students have performed the task. This usually happens as a form of language repair when the task has shown up language problems- or when students might have found the task easier if they had been able to produce certain language forms which they did not use at all.

 

 

Opportunistic study may happen because a student wants to know how some element of language is constructed or why it is constructed as it is. Opportunistic teaching- studying language which suddenly ‘’comes up’’.

 

Many study activities; ppp, explain and practice, encourage students to discover or notice language before we ask them to use it, preface a study exercise with activities which show us how much of the language before we ask them to use it, preface a study exercise with activities which show us how much of the language in question is already known, ask students to research language as part of an ongoing lesson sequence, and may interleave the study with all its elements.

 

A choosing study activities

 

Following planning principles: we need to bear general planning principles in mind. We need to offer a varied diet of exercises because all students have different learning styles, and also because we want help them sustain motivation.

 

Assessing Language study activity for use in class: how effective it will be, it should justify the time we will need to spend on it both before and during lesson, does the activity demonstrate meaning and use clearly and that it all opportunities, we have to be confident that it will engage our learners successfully.

 One way of assessing study activities is to judge efficiency and their appropraicy. The term of efficiency; economy, time and efficacy; economy means time; an easy activity is one that is simple for the teacher to use and organize; an efficacious activity is one that works. In terms of appropraicy, we need to judge whether the activity is suitable for the time of the day, the classroom conditions and for a particular group of students taking into account their level their educational background and their cultural sensibilities.

 

If we use same activities with different groups we can see that what was appropriate for one class may not work as well with other students.

 

Evaluating a study activity after use in class: answers questions such as whether or not the exercise helped student to learn the new language (efficacy), whether students were engaged by it (appropraicy) and whether or not we want to use it again (or modify for the next use.)

 

A3 Known or unknown language?

Individual students learn at different speeds and in different ways. These two facts, taken together, it means ‘mixed ability’. If we are not sure whether or not students know the language we are about to ask them to study, we will need to find this information out. If we don’t, we risk teaching students’ things they already know or assuming knowledge they do not have.

 

One way of avoiding teaching already known language is to have students perform task, also attempting to elicit the new language form.

 

B1 Explain things

Explain meaning: ways of explaining the meaning; showing it, for actions we can use mime or gesture, we can demonstrate superlative activities by using hand and arm movements, many teachers have standard gestures to explain, we can also use facial expressions, pictures, diagrams, time lines, we can describe the meaning of word, we can list vocabulary items to explain concepts, we can use check questions, and translating words and phrases.

 

Explaining language construction: through modelling sentences and phrases. Many teachers use fingers or hands. We can also demonstrate word and sentence stress by beating time with or without arms. We can show intonation pattern by ‘drawing’ the tune in the air, diagrams on boards or overhead projectors, writing words on individual cards, and Cuisenaire rods (used to show parts of speech, stress patterns and sentence construction.)

 

2B Practice (accurate reproduction)

Repetition: can be either choral or individual.

For choral repetition to be effective; start the chorus, help the students with the rhythm by conducting with your arms and hands. Coral repetition can be invigorating because it gives all students a chance to speak together rather than being show up individually.

 

Sometimes teachers divide the class in half (semi-chorus). We may ask for individual repetition, after chorus, by nominating, be careful not to nominate students in obvious order, will not keep students on their toes. In individual repetition, students to stay the word or phrase quietly to themselves, murmuring it a few times as they get used to saying it.

 

Drills: we may organize a quick cue-response session to encourage controlled practice of the new language. we can use cards as cue. Cues can be also verbal or non-verbal. If we think students need more controlled practice, we can put them in pairs and ask them to continue saying the new words or phrases to each other.

 

C discover (and Practice)

Inductive approach, students see examples of language and try to work out how it put together. If we want students to understand how speakers in informal conversation use certain phrases as delaying tactics (or to buy ‘’thinking’’ time), we might get them to listen again.

 

Discovery activities are especially useful when students are looking at the construction of specific language for the second or third time. If students do not like inductive approach, they would prefer to be ‘’soon fed’’. The deductive work they are doing now is intended to expand their knowledge and revise things they are already familiar with.

 

D Research (and Practice)

We could ask them to consult a dictionary or encourage them to use search engines, such as Google. When students research language, they are far more likely to remember what they find out than if they sit passively and are given words (affective at higher levels). Also we may ask them to use the language they have discovered (like discovery activities). Over drilling can have a very demotivating effect.

 

 

 

Reference:

Harmer, Jeremy. (2009). The practice of English Language Teaching, 4^th ed. Longman