05 Present and practice grammar
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ICELT DISTANCE UNIT 5 Grammar presentation & practice
ICELT distance unit 5
Grammar presentation & practice
Contents Introduction …………………………………………………………
3
Aims ………………………………………………………………..
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Reading ……………………………………………………………
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Section A – Reflection …………………………………………….
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Section B – Approaches to teaching grammar …………………
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Section C – Presentation techniques …………………………..
19
Section D – Practice techniques ………………………………..
29
Section E – Grammar in the young earner classroom …………
34
References …………………………………………………………
35
Feedback on unit ………………………………………………….
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Introduction In many traditional language classrooms, grammar was viewed as the most important aspect of language learning. Methodology was concerned almost solely with ways of having learners practise the grammar with vocabulary and pronunciation slotted in. Nowadays most teachers would not recognise that situation – there has been a growing acceptance that there is much more to a language than grammar. In the 1970’s, the communicative approach mostly abandoned this emphasis on grammatical form in favour communicating the message successfully, despite inaccuracies. More recently, however, the importance of focussing on form has been addressed again. In this unit we will be considering different approaches to teaching grammar and whether we need to make form (or structure) rules explicit to learners. We shall evaluate a number of presentation and practice techniques.
Aims By the end of this unit you should: • Have a clearer understanding of deductive, inductive and guided discovery approaches to grammar teaching • Have analysed lessons in relation to these approaches • Have analysed the learning process within a guided discovery lesson • Have planned a sequence of activities using a guided discovery framework • Have evaluated a number of presentation techniques • Have a clearer understanding or the notion of controlled and free practice activities • Have planned controlled and free practice activities for particular language points • Have considered the place of grammar in younger learner classrooms
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Essential Reading Cameron, L. 2001 Teaching Languages to Young Learners. CUP Chapter 5 – Learning Grammar Nunan, D. 1991 Language Teaching Methodology. Longman Chapter 8 – the Role of Grammar Ur, P. 1999 A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory CUP
Recommended Further Reading ELT Forum Teacher Development Pack: Grammar
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Section A: Reflection Task 1 Read the following comments which were made by different teachers. Consider whether you agree or disagree with them and why. If possible, do this task with a colleague. 1. I usually tell the students the rule before we practice grammar. 2. I try not to use grammar terminology in the classroom. 3. I like to use examples from my students’ life when I am teaching grammar. 4. I think if we provide enough good examples, then students can infer the rules without being told. 5. It is easy to explain some grammar rules by others are so complicated that it is better not to bother. 6. It is better to do other activities such as reading a story or listening to a song first that lead to grammar. When you have finished, look at the commentary that follows.
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Commentary 1. I usually tell the students the rule before we practice grammar. This is one of the features of the deductive approach (don’t be confused by the name!) to grammar teaching. In this approach the teacher moves from rules to examples. In contrast, there is the inductive approach, in which learners are presented with lots of examples and they work out the rule for themselves; in other words they induce the rule. This is also very characteristic of the grammar translation method of language teaching and is also very common in students’ grammar books. 2. I try not to use grammar terminology in the classroom. If you are teaching very young learners you probably agreed with this. If you are teaching older children or adults then it is very difficult to avoid terminology altogether unless you are using a totally experiential approach to language learning where the students are using the language to perform task with no explicit analysis of the language. On the other hand, over use of terminology with turn a lot of students off and it is important to be sensitive to the effect use of terminology is having on students. 3. I like to use examples from my students’ life when I am teaching grammar. This attitude comes from a humanistic approach to language learning in which it is believed that affective (emotional) factors as just as important as cognitive factors. It is probably an obvious point but if learning is personalised in this way then it will probably be more memorable. Traditionally, the personalisation stage comes after the presentation but there is no reason why the presentation itself should not be personalised. However, this would require a great deal of skill on the teacher’s part. 4. I think if we provide enough good examples, then students can infer the rules without being told. See number 1. This is characteristic of an inductive approach to learning grammar. This approach is also called a discovery approach. It is comparable to the way in which we learn our first language; direct experience of the language and unconscious assimilation of rules.
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5. It is easy to explain some grammar rules by others are so complicated that it is better not to bother. Most experienced teacher would accept this and plan their teaching accordingly. Perhaps a more important point is that some rules are very difficult to induce or discover. For example the correct placement of adverbs – I like football very much or He is often late may never be noticed by students unless they are pointed out explicitly. 6 It is better to do other activities such as reading a story or listening to a song first that lead to grammar. This is an underlying principle in such approaches as task-based learning and the whole language approach – you learn best by doing.
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Section B: Approaches The tasks in this section have been taken from Thornbury, 2004) Task 1 Read through the following three mini lessons and for each one decide: • • •
Sequence: Rule: Guidance:
Which comes first the rule or the example? Is the rule stated explicitly or is it implicitly understood? How much does the teacher guide the learners? ____________________
Lesson 1 Teacher “to form the present perfect continuous, use the auxiliary verb have plus the past participle of the verb to be (been) plus the present participle, for example …” Teacher writes on the board: I have been working. Has Jeff been watching TV? They haven’t been listening. “You use the present perfect continuous to talk about activities that started in the past and continue to the present (or very recent past), especially when you want to focus on the process itself, or its duration, for example…”
Teacher writes on board: We have been living here since we got married. How long have you been studying Chinese? Why is your hair wet? I’ve been swimming. “Now make sentences using the present perfect continuous for these situations… Jeff started watching TV at five o’clock. Hi has just switched the TV off. It is now nine o’clock. I first came to live in this town five years ago. I’m still living here. Our company was set up over 100 years ago. We manufactured bicycles them and we are still manufacturing them.”
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_____________________ Lesson 2 Teacher: “Dawn is standing outside the cinema. She is waiting for her friend. Dawn arrived at eight o’clock. It’s now ten past eight. She has been waiting for ten minutes. When did she start waiting? (Learners: “Eight o’clock.”) Is she still waiting? (Learners: “Yes.”) How do you express the idea of waiting that started in the past and is still continuing? (Learners: “She has been waiting.”) How is the tense formed? (Learners: “Have plus been plus –ing.”) This tense is called the present perfect continuous. Here is another situation: It is now nine o’clock and Jeff is watching TV. He started watching TV at five o’clock . He has been watching TV for four hours. Use the present perfect continuous to make a sentence for each of these situations: I first came to live in this town five years ago. I’m still living here. Our company was set up over 100 years ago. We manufactured bicycles then, and we are still manufacturing them.” _________________________
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Lesson 3 Teacher: “Once upon a time, Goldilocks visited the Bears’ house. There was nobody home. She ate some of Baby Bear’s porridge. She smoked one of Father Bear’s cigars. She drank some of Mother Bear’s coffee, and she rode Mother Bear’s motorbike. She played with Buddy Bear’s toys, and she played Buddy Bear’s guitar. She read some of Missy Bear’s magazines, and she used Missy Bear’s computer. Well, finally, she felt tired so she went upstairs to sleep. When the Bears came home, Baby Bear said, “Who’s been eating my porridge?” Repeat. (Learners: “Who’s been eating my porridge?”) Mother Bear said, “Who’s been drinking my coffee?” Repeat. (Learners: “Who’s been drinking my coffee?”) Father Bear said, “Who’s been smoking my cigar?” Repeat. (Learners: “Who’s been smoking my cigar?” What did Missy Bear say about her magazines? (Learners: Who’s been reading my magazines?” And her computer? (Learners: “Who’s been using my computer?” What did Buddy Bear say about his toys? (Learners: “Who’s been playing with my toys?” And his guitar? (Learners: “Who’s been playing my guitar?” What did Mother Bear say about her motorbike? (Learners: “Who’s been riding my motorbike?” Now tell the story to your partner.” ________________________
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Commentary Sequence
Rule
Guidance
Lesson 1
Rule example
Explicit
High
Lesson 2
Example rule
Explicit
High
Lesson 3
Examples only
Implicit
Low
Lesson 1 This is typical of a deductive approach where the rule is stated at the beginning, example are provided, and then further examples are given by the learners as evidence of their learning. The teacher guides the whole process with very little or no learner involvement until the practice stage. (Though it is possible for the teacher to involve the learners from the beginning by eliciting). Lesson 2 This is a typical inductive presentation, in which an example is given and from which the rule is discovered and then made explicit. Another example is given before the learners go on to practise the rule themselves. There is high teacher guidance through the use of leading questions. This is an example of learning by guided discovery Lesson 3 This is an example of a presentation in which examples of the target form are given in context, but where the rule is not made explicit. Learners are expected to demonstrate awareness of of the rule in their responses. If they do so, they have shown evidence of discovery learning in its unguided form.
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Task 2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the approaches above. Complete the table below. When you have finished look at the commentary. Advantages
Disadvantages
Lesson 1 Deductive
Lesson 2 Guided discovery
Lesson 3 Unguided discovery
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Commentary Advantages Lesson 1 Deductive
• • •
Direct Aim is clear Suits particular learner types who like clear grammar explanations
Disadvantages • • •
Lesson 2 Guided discovery
• •
•
Lesson 3 Unguided discovery
• • • •
•
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Involving and challenging for learners Suits particular learning types who are good at discerning patterns Usually more engaging to start with example especially if personalised
•
Reflects natural process of language learning Exposes learner to examples in context Learners are practising language at the same time as learning it Focus on USING the language rather than TALKING ABOUT the language Encourage learner autonomy
•
• •
• • •
Can involve complicated explanations and a lot of metalanguage Can demotivate learners who are ‘afraid’ of grammar Not very involving – learner needn’t make much mental effort – so may not be memorable
May frustrate those learners who like clear explanations at beginning May take a lot of time May exclude learners who are not good at discerning patterns
May put too much responsibility on learner Difficult to check if the correct rule have been ‘discovered’ May be inefficient use of time Mau frustrate some learner types
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According to Thornbury (2004), in a guided discovery approach the teacher guides and supports the learning process by: a Problem-framing
setting a problem-solving task for the learners
b Providing data
giving sufficient examples to help learners solve the problem Drawing learners’ attention to key features of the data (structure) Using questions to guide the learners to a solution
c Focussing attention d Asking leading questions e Making connections f
Giving feedback
Referring to, and building on, what the learners already know Providing messages on the state of the learners’ theorybuilding
g Recapping / summarizing
Task 3 Look at the following transcript of the presentation stage of a lesson. Try to identify the purpose of each of the teacher interventions that are numbered – choose from the list above. T (1) Now. I’m going to dictate some sentences, and I want you to write them dowm. Are you ready? Number one: I have teaching for twelve year now. [pause] Number two: Before that I was a student teacher. [pause] Number three: I have been living in Cali for a year now. [pause] Number four: Last year I was living in Bucaramanga. [pause] Number five: At present, I am living in a friend’s apartment. [pause] I am going to repeat the sentences then I want you to check in pairs to see if you both have the same …
T
OK. All those sentences are about me, but some are true and some are false. Can you guess which is which? I’ll give you a clue. Only one of them is false. Yes, Andres ….?
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T
…OK. Well done, Andres. So you guessed it correctly. Last year I wa living in Barranquilla not Bucaramanga. (2) Now let’s look at those sentences about now and sentences about the finished past….?
T
… That’s right. So we have two sentences about the finished past . And three sentences about now. (3) How do you know they are about now?
S1
‘Now’
S2
‘At present’
T
Good, ‘I have been teaching for twelve years now. I have been living in Cali for a year now. At present, I am living in a friend’s apartment.’ OK. (4) Now let’s look at these last two sentences. ‘I have been living in Cali / I am living in a friend’s apartment.’ (5) Can you see the difference?
S3
have been
T
have been living, and …
S4
am living
T
So what’s the difference?
S5
have been living is finished
T
(6) Is it? Are you sure? ‘I have been living in Cali for a year now.’ Is that finished?
T
(7) When did I start living in Cali?
S3
One year ago.
T
Good. ‘I have been living in Cali for a year now’ Am I still living in here in Cali?’
Ss
Yes
T
Obviously! ‘For a year now.’ I started living in here a year ago and I am still living here. ‘I have been living in Cali for a year now.’ From the past to the present. So what about ‘I am living at a friend’s apartment.’ Do we know when it started?
Ss
No
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T
(8) Are we talking about the past only, or the present only, or from the past to the present?
S1
The present only.
T
(9) Exactly. But I have been living in Cali for a year.’ ?
Ss
Past and present
T
Good. From past to present. (10) Do you remember what we call this tense: I am living…?
S6
Present continuous.
T
Good. So what do we call this one, have been living, do you think? [pause] Have been … what is that?
S4
Present perfect.
T
Good. (11) So have been living?
S6
Present continuous perfect.
T
Not quite. Try again. The other way around…
S6
Present perfect continuous
T
Excellent. And so we use the present perfect continuous as a way of connecting the past to the present …
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Commentary This teacher here uses a guided discovery approach in this lesson. The teacher personalises the data, and makes it into a kind of game (true / false) in order to engage the learners and to encourage them to think about the meaning of the sentences – this helps them to make sense of the rule. The teacher includes a time adverbial in each of the sentences so that the students can make sense of them even before the focus on present continuous / present perfect continuous. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
providing data problem framing asking leading questions ( or focussing attention) focussing attention problem framing giving feedback asking leading questions asking leading questions giving feedback making connections (or asking leading questions) making connections (or asking leading questions) recapping / summarizing
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Task 4 Try to do this task with a colleague. Choose one of the structures in the box below. Design a guided discovery presentation for the structure. You need to follow the sequence of a guided discovery presentation (from examples to rule and that you provide support and guidance for the learners in the form of problem framing and leading questions. Think about the following: • Will the examples be easily understood by the learner? • Do the examples include vocabulary that needs to be explained or pretaught? • Is there a very clear context for the examples? • Do the examples provide a typical, and natural, context for the targeted language structure? • Are there sufficient examples for learners to work out the rule? To have something done (e.g. I’ve had the kitchen painted) To be getting used to something (e.g. I’m getting used to this classroom,) Would you mind … -ing? (e.g. would you mind opening the window? Too+adjective+infinitive (e.g. it’s too hot to play tennis) Should+have+past participle (e.g. you should have brought your sunglasses. Please post your ideas on the website forum for comments from your colleagues.
Task 5 Read: Nunan, D 1998 Language Teaching Methodology Prentice Hall – chapter 8 Focus on Form The role of grammar. This is an overview of research into grammar and second language acquisition. Before reading, note down what theories you expect to read to read about.
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Section 3: Presentation techniques Most tasks in this section have been taken from Tanner & Green
TASK 1 Look at the following ways of presenting grammar. After each description of a presentation mark it from 1 – 4 as follows: 1 I have never seen this presentation and I don’t think it would work in my class 2 I have never seen this presentation but I would like to try it in one of my classes 3 I have used this presentation in one of my classes and it didn’t work very well. 4 I have used this presentation and it worked very well . 1 USING A SONG TEXT The teacher finds a song text that contains a lot of present perfect tenses. He makes a work sheet where some of the present perfect tenses are blanked out and as the learners listen to the song they try to fill in the gaps. The teacher then asks for the answers and asks the learners why the present perfect tense is used and not the past tense. He elicits (or explains if necessary) the use and form of the present perfect tense. For an example of a song using the present perfect tense form presentation purposes see Cambridge English Course, Book 2 , Unit 7A I’ve never been to Athens. Your mark
2 USING A TIME LINE The teacher draws a time line on the board, representing the sentence I have seen her as the dotted line [ ------------------- ] on the diagram below. He tells the class that it is placed between PAST and NOW, the present perfect used for an unspecified time: I saw her, but I don’t tell you when or where so I use the present perfect tense. I have seen her [ ------------------------- ] PAST
NOW
FUTURE
Your mark
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3 READING Learners do the following worksheet in groups. Here is part of Ursulas’ school report. SCHOOL REPORT - MARLBOROUGH COMPREHENSIVE Name : Ursula Jones
Age: 12
Class: 1C
Subject
Mark
Remarks
ENGLISH
A
Very good Ursula has worked hard this term and received high marks in her tests. Well done! P.B
GEOGRAPHY
C
An average mark. Ursula likes geography but has found it difficult this term. She has written an interesting project about the Lake District. H.T
MATHS
B
Ursula has had a good term; she has worked very hard and has improved a lot. J.O
SPORT
B
Ursula has enjoyed her dance classes this term and has done very well. She has also done very well in gymnastics. P.W
Read Ursula’s report. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? 1 Ursula has worked hard in geography. T/F 2 She has received low marks in her English test. T/F 3 She has written a project about Wales. T/F 4 She has not worked hard in her Maths lessons. T/F 5 She has danced in the sports lessons. T/F 6 She has done better in Maths this term than she did last term T/F Now write two more sentences about Ursula: 7 She has 8 She has
Your mark
4 USING REALIA (Real objects)
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The teacher puts some objects on a desk in front of the class : a briefcase, some books, a cup of coffee, a piece of chalk and some objects from the learners in the class. He then asks the class to close their eyes or turn round for a few seconds and quickly moves some objects. He asks the class , What have I moved? And tries to elicit examples of the present perfect using, You have moved from them. For example, You have moved the coffee, You have moved the blue book. He writes examples of the sentences that he has elicited on the blackboard. Your mark
5 PERSONALISATION The teacher writes up the names of 5 people he knows on the board. He tells the class about each of the five people using a present perfect tense with just for each one. For example, My son has just started school or My friend Alex has just gone to Miami on holiday. He writes the 5 sentences on the board , explaining that if we use just and the present perfect tense, and we don’t say exactly when, it means that something has happened in the very recent past. He explains the third person form of the present perfect tense (has plus the past participle) and asks the learners to write down the names of 5 people they know. The learners then try to use the present perfect tense writing about the 5 people in their lives, using the present perfect tense and just. The learners then get into groups to tell each other about what they have written. Your mark
6 EXPLAINING DIRECTLY
The teacher writes the form of the present perfect tense on the board: Subject + Have + Past participle + Object He then explains to the class that the present perfect is used: i) ii)
for an unspecified time in the past and when something started in the past and is still true now.
He gives some examples to illustrate, for i) I have been to America and for ii) She has lived in Lima for 5 years. Your mark
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7 PRACTISING AND PRESENTING The teacher gives out the table below asking learners to work in pairs and ask and answer the questions. The learners are familiar with the vocabulary in the table but not with the present perfect tense. He does a few examples with individual learners first.
Have you ever seen
an elephant? your great-grandmother ? a TV programme about dolphins? a UFO? a shooting star ? the Mediterranean Sea? Rio de Janeiro harbour ? etc
No. I haven’t
Yes , I have
The teacher gradually elicits the present perfect tense questions by asking his class, What question did I ask you ?. Some learners will reproduce her question with prompting . The teacher eventually writes on the blackboard: Present Perfect Tense Questions Has/have + person + past participle ? (Have) (you) (seen) He asks the class when they think these type of questions are used. The learners explain to the teacher what they think. The teacher explains to the class that the present perfect tense is used with Have you ever ……? To ask general questions about what people have done in the unspecified past Your mark
8 DISCOVERING The teacher asks the learners to look at a reading passage which they have studied before as a reading text. The learners then guess in groups which of the following sentences (a) to (g) are grammatically correct (C) or incorrect (I) and circle the letter C or I next to each sentence. A B C D E F
The children have brought pencils to the lesson The children has understood Miss Honey’s speech Matilda have begun school a bit late The children have just start school The lessons has started today Matilda has not been to school before
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C/I C/I C/I C/I C/I C/I
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Learners then complete the two substitution tables below. If they have problems, the teacher supplies them with the words have and has , but does not tell the learners where to place the words until they have tried for themselves. This gives this activity an element of discovery learning THE PRESENT PERFECT : STATEMENTS Subject I, you, we, they, children He , she, it, Matilda
have /has
Rest of sentence
the _____________ school
After the learners have completed the table, the teacher asks them to correct the original incorrect sentences (a) to (g). He checks their answers. Your mark
9 USING A CHART The teacher draws the following chart on the board : Name Alicia Geovanny
USA 3
Venezuela 3 3
Britain 3
Spain
The teacher asks different learners in the class, Have you been to Britain ? or , Have you been to Venezuela? Completing the row by ticking (3) the appropriate box as the learners give their answers. Once the chart is complete without about 5 learners he asks the class what question he was asking. He then writes his question on the board and gives a short explanation of the form of the present perfect tense and the question form. He rubs the ticks off the board. Learners then copy the empty table into their notebooks leaving space for 5 names and ticks. They then ask each other the question Have you been to ………..? and tick the appropriate boxes in their tables. Afterwards they write 5 sentences in their notebooks about the five people they interviewed (for example , Alicia has been to Spain and Venezuela ,but she hasn’t been to the USA) Your mark
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10 ELICITING The teacher tells his class what he has done this morning: I’ve had my breakfast. I’ve said goodbye to my children. I’ve drunk two cups of coffee. I’ve driven to school. (etc). He writes on the board, What have you done this morning? And then asks individual this question gradually eliciting present perfect sentences. If the learners make mistakes he corrects them gently. He slowly builds up correct present perfect sentences on the board (I’ve fed my dog, I’ve eaten some bread) He then points out that the present perfect tense is used for unspecified past time – if the time in the past when an event happened is not mentioned the present perfect tense is often used. Your mark
11 COMPARING SPANISH AND ENGLISH A Spanish speaking teacher of English introduces the present perfect tense pointing out the differences between the use and the form of the present perfect tense in English and the perfect and past tenses in Spanish. Your mark
12 DICTOGLOSSS The teacher writes a short paragraph about his life using the past tense (which it is assumed the learners have already seen and the present perfect tense which may be new to the learners). e.g: I began teaching twenty years ago. From 1982 to 1990 I worked in Buccaramanga. Since 1990 I have worked in Bogotà. From 1990 to 1995 I worked in Gimnasio La Salle but since 1995 I have worked in the AngloColombiano school. The teacher reads this passage once at normal speed and tells the learners to just listen and not to try to write anything. When he has finished reading the teacher tells the students to write down anything they can remember, any date, any fact. The teacher then reads the passage again at normal speed and asks the learners to get into groups and to try to reconstruct the passage exactly. When learners have tried to do this the teacher takes an OHT transfer and slowly reveals the passage to the learners.* The teacher then asks using the present perfect tense: How long have I worked in Bogotà?
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How long have I worked in the Anglo- Colombiano? And concept questions: Do I work in Gimnasio La Salle now? Where do I work now? The student then write paragraphs about their own life and compare them in groups. * If you use an OHT transfer it is a good idea to reveal the text slowly line by line by putting a piece of paper over the transfer and slowly pulling it down so that learners are able to check exactly what they have written against the original text. It is also more exciting and hence more motivating to reveal the text in this way. If you do not have an overhead projector the text can be written out on a piece of cardboard which can then be stuck to the board with sellotape. Another piece of cardboard can then be stuck over the first one and this piece of cardboard can be slowly pulled down to reveal the text bit by bit just as with an OHT transfer. Your mark
TASK 2 1 If you were introducing the present perfect tense for the first time, which of the eleven presentation techniques would you use? (You may choose to combine two or three of them) 2 In which order would you use your chosen presentation techniques? 3 Use one or more of these techniques to present grammar structures in your class. The structure presented doesn’t have to be the present perfect tense. When you have used a few of these techniques assess how successful they were on a scale of 1 to 4: • 1 Not successful at all .The students completely confused as to meaning and not using the structure at all 2 Not very successful. The students made some attempt to repeat the structure but didn’t see to be using it in a meaningful or creative way. 3 Reasonably successful. The students were using the structure quite a lot and seem to have some idea of its meaning 4 Very successful. The students are using the structure accurately and creating their own utterances using the structure.
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TASK 3
Read the passage below on form and use, and then do the task which follows. FORM AND USE When we present a new grammar point to learners, it is useful to present two different aspects: its form and use. Form means the grammatical form of an item and the rules for it. For example does a word have an s at the end ? When do we add –ed to the end of a verb and when not? What is the word order of a question ? When do you use do and when do you use did in a question. Form also includes phonology. Use deals with the context. When or where is an item used ? To discover the use of an item , ask yourself, In which situation is an item used in natural communication? For example one use of the present simple tense is for describing actions that people do every day (I get up at 7.30), so in your presentation for the present simple tense you might include a natural situation where a person is telling someone else what they do every day, such as a learner writing to a new penfriend , telling her about a typical day at his school. In the 12 presentations in task 1 the form and use were both presented. But which use of the present perfect tense was presented in each one ? Complete the table below with the use of the present perfect which was presented in each case . Two examples are done for you.
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Technique
Which use of the present perfect is presented ?
1 Using a song text
•
2 Using a time line
•
3 Reading
•
4 Using realia
•
5 Personalisation
•
6 Explaining directly
•
7 Practising presenting 8 Discovering
and
•
Questions and tag questions; general questions int the past with ever.
•
9 Using a chart
•
10 Eliciting
•
11 Comparing Spanish and English 12 Dictogloss
•
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unspecified time in the past
•
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Commentary 1 Using a song text unclear; it depends on the song chosen 2 Using a time line unspecified time in the past 3 Reading something started in the past which is still true now. 4 Using realia unspecified time in the past 5 Personalisation used with just to talk about something that has happened in the very recent past 6 Explaining directly unspecified time in the past and something started in the past which is still true now 7 Practising and presenting questions and tag questions; general questions in the past with ever. 8 Discovering unspecified time in the past and something which started in the past and is still true now. 9 Using a chart unspecified time in the past and general questions 10 Eliciting unspecified time in the past 11 Comparing Spanish and English unclear (presumably all uses). 12 Dictogloss something which began in the past and is still true now.
Task 4 Read: Ur, Penny (1999) A Course in Language Teaching. CUP Module 1: unit one Presentations and Explanations Module 1: unit two Examples of presentation procedures Module 1: unit three Explanation and instructions Take time to do the tasks suggested by Penny Ur in the text. If possible do this task with a colleague.
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Section D – Practice Task 1 Read the following conversation between Andres, a teacher at a school in Bogotá, and Simon, a teacher trainer from the British Council. They are talking on the telephone. Then answer the questions that follow. Andres: Simon: Andres:
I’ve got a problem. What kind of problem? My students won’t speak English in class. Can you help me?
•
How many people need to be involved in communication?
•
What do people do when they communicate?
•
Why do people ask questions in real life?
•
Why is Andres asking questions?
•
Why does she need information?
•
What’s Simon doing?
•
What makes this conversation more difficult? Can the two speakers see each other?
Commentary • • • • • • • •
Communication involves interaction. When we communicate, we exchange or transfer information. Information can include facts, opinions, attitudes, feelings etc. In real life, people ask questions because they do not know the answer – there is a gap. Andres is asking questions because she does not know how to solve the problem – there is a gap. Simon is offering to help the gap. He is also checking and clarifying. Communication involves transferring information over a gap – an information gap. Communication involves checking and clarifying.
We should try use grammar practice activities in the classroom that incorporate these communicative features most of the time. There are, of course, noncommunicative practice activities that are also useful, for example drilling.
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Task 2 The terms controlled practice and freer practice are often used when discussing practice activities. What do you understand by these terms? If possible discuss your answers with a colleague and note down your ideas.
Commentary Controlled (or restricted) practice activities: • Are accuracy focussed – the teacher is concerned that the students are using the correct form • The students have a very limited choice of language to use – the language used in the activity is controlled by the teacher Free (or less controlled) activities: • Are fluency focussed – the teacher is concerned that the students are communicating effectively • The students can use whatever language resources they have – the control what language is used Actually we should think of controlled and free practice as part of a continuum
CONTROLLED
FREE
Task 3 There are two activities here. Where would you place them on the above continuum? Activity 1 Complete these sentences with the past simple or the present perfect. 1. David Beckham ________ (play) for Real Madrid for 34 years. 2. He ___________ (move) to Spain with his family in 2002. 3. etc Activity 2 Write a fan letter to your favourite English football player. Tell him a little about yourself and why you like his team.
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Commentary Both these activities give the learners an opportunity to use language but in different ways. 1 is very controlled and would be placed on the far left on the continuum. Activity 2 is almost entirely free and would be placed quite far right on the continuum. Many of the activities we do in the classroom would however be placed between these two.
Task 4 On the next page, you will find eight activities from four different lessons. A) Read through the activities carefully and try to complete the table below: In column 1 identify the target language (the language point that the class in working on) In column 2 identify the activity the teacher chose to provide accuracy focussed controlled practice In column 3 identify the activity the teacher chose to provide fluency focussed freer practice B) Where would you place these activities on the controlled/free continuum? C) Are all the activities communicative?
1.Target language
2.Controlled practice activity
3. Freer practice activity
E
B
EXAMPLE Personal questions
information
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Task 4 – eight activities from four lessons. A Find someone who... Go/Cali Live/outside Bogota Eat/ants Swim/Pacific Ocean Go/Miami
_______ ________ _______ _______ _______
E In grid of 9 boxes, sts draw important people in their life, 3 women, 3 men, 3 families. Sts swap with their partner, ask and fill in (who/where live/what do/ old).
B Students bring in family photos. Students work in groups. They spread the photos on the floor and discuss them.
C Give groups students a map of Colombia. They discuss where they have and haven’t been.
F Students work in groups of 3. They each have a set of place cards (Cali, Tunja, etc) and a set of adjective cards (cold, big, green, quiet, etc). In turn sts pick up 2 place cards and 1 adjective card. They make sentences comparing the places using the adjective.
G Students do a mini-survey. They each ask 4 students about their childhood, (live/look like/watch on TV/hate eating).
D Divide the class in two groups. Assign one group the city Bogota and the other group Medellin. Each group notes down why their city is better than the other. Then have a debate between the groups. H Students draw a picture of the school they attended. In pairs students discuss their childhood routines.
Commentary 1.Target language
2.Controlled practice activity
3. Freer practice activity
E
B
Present perfect simple for experience
A
C
Used to ( for past habits and states)
G
H
Comparative adjectives
F
D
EXAMPLE Personal questions
information
Task 4 Now think of a controlled practice activity and a freer practice activity for the following language points. Make sure the activities are communicative. When you have finished, post you ideas on the website forum for others to comment on. If possible, do this task with a colleague. 1. going to (to talk about future plans) 2. like / don’t like 3. in / on / under 4. past continuous
Task 5 Read: Ur, Penny (1999) A Course in Language Teaching. CUP Module 2: unit one The function of practice Module 2: unit two Characteristics of a good practice activity Module 2: unit three Practice techniques Module 2: unit four Sequence and progression in practice Take time to do the tasks suggested by Penny Ur in the text. If possible, do this task with a colleague.
Section E – Grammar in the Young Learner Classroom Task 1 Think about the following statements and note down your ideas. If possible, discuss these with a partner. 1. Grammar is too difficult for children and it should not be taught in youn learner classes. 2. Young learners need to be taught grammar in order to communicate effectively. 3. Grammar is the most important part of a language. 4. If we do not focus on form in the young learner classroom then our pupils will learn inaccurate rules.
Task 2 Read Cameron, L (2001) Teaching Languages to Young Learners CUP Chapter
5:
Learning
Grammar
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Grammar presentation & practice
References Tanner, R & Green, C 1998 Tasks for Teacher Education Longman Thornbury, S. 2004 how to … introduce new language Oxford University Press Nunan, D 1998 Language Teaching Methodology Prentice Hall Ur,
Penny
(1999)
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A
Course
in
Language
Teaching.
CUP
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FEEDBACK on Grammar practice & presentation unit 1. How long did it take you to work through this unit? Less than 6 hours
About 6 hours
More than 6 hours
2. In general, how did you find the unit? Good
OK
Poor
3. Was the level of the material? Too challenging
About right
Too easy
4. Please assess the overall presentation of the unit. Good
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6. Please write any other comments you have here. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Thank you for taking time to complete this form. We appreciate your comments.
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Contents Introduction …………………………………………………………
3
Aims ………………………………………………………………..
3
Reading ……………………………………………………………
4
Section A – Reflection …………………………………………….
5
Section B – Approaches to teaching grammar …………………
8
Section C – Presentation techniques …………………………..
19
Section D – Practice techniques ………………………………..
29
Section E – Grammar in the young earner classroom …………
34
References …………………………………………………………
35
Feedback on unit ………………………………………………….
36
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Introduction In many traditional language classrooms, grammar was viewed as the most important aspect of language learning. Methodology was concerned almost solely with ways of having learners practise the grammar with vocabulary and pronunciation slotted in. Nowadays most teachers would not recognise that situation – there has been a growing acceptance that there is much more to a language than grammar. In the 1970’s, the communicative approach mostly abandoned this emphasis on grammatical form in favour communicating the message successfully, despite inaccuracies. More recently, however, the importance of focussing on form has been addressed again. In this unit we will be considering different approaches to teaching grammar and whether we need to make form (or structure) rules explicit to learners. We shall evaluate a number of presentation and practice techniques.
Aims By the end of this unit you should: • Have a clearer understanding of deductive, inductive and guided discovery approaches to grammar teaching • Have analysed lessons in relation to these approaches • Have analysed the learning process within a guided discovery lesson • Have planned a sequence of activities using a guided discovery framework • Have evaluated a number of presentation techniques • Have a clearer understanding or the notion of controlled and free practice activities • Have planned controlled and free practice activities for particular language points • Have considered the place of grammar in younger learner classrooms
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Essential Reading Cameron, L. 2001 Teaching Languages to Young Learners. CUP Chapter 5 – Learning Grammar Nunan, D. 1991 Language Teaching Methodology. Longman Chapter 8 – the Role of Grammar Ur, P. 1999 A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory CUP
Recommended Further Reading ELT Forum Teacher Development Pack: Grammar
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Section A: Reflection Task 1 Read the following comments which were made by different teachers. Consider whether you agree or disagree with them and why. If possible, do this task with a colleague. 1. I usually tell the students the rule before we practice grammar. 2. I try not to use grammar terminology in the classroom. 3. I like to use examples from my students’ life when I am teaching grammar. 4. I think if we provide enough good examples, then students can infer the rules without being told. 5. It is easy to explain some grammar rules by others are so complicated that it is better not to bother. 6. It is better to do other activities such as reading a story or listening to a song first that lead to grammar. When you have finished, look at the commentary that follows.
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Commentary 1. I usually tell the students the rule before we practice grammar. This is one of the features of the deductive approach (don’t be confused by the name!) to grammar teaching. In this approach the teacher moves from rules to examples. In contrast, there is the inductive approach, in which learners are presented with lots of examples and they work out the rule for themselves; in other words they induce the rule. This is also very characteristic of the grammar translation method of language teaching and is also very common in students’ grammar books. 2. I try not to use grammar terminology in the classroom. If you are teaching very young learners you probably agreed with this. If you are teaching older children or adults then it is very difficult to avoid terminology altogether unless you are using a totally experiential approach to language learning where the students are using the language to perform task with no explicit analysis of the language. On the other hand, over use of terminology with turn a lot of students off and it is important to be sensitive to the effect use of terminology is having on students. 3. I like to use examples from my students’ life when I am teaching grammar. This attitude comes from a humanistic approach to language learning in which it is believed that affective (emotional) factors as just as important as cognitive factors. It is probably an obvious point but if learning is personalised in this way then it will probably be more memorable. Traditionally, the personalisation stage comes after the presentation but there is no reason why the presentation itself should not be personalised. However, this would require a great deal of skill on the teacher’s part. 4. I think if we provide enough good examples, then students can infer the rules without being told. See number 1. This is characteristic of an inductive approach to learning grammar. This approach is also called a discovery approach. It is comparable to the way in which we learn our first language; direct experience of the language and unconscious assimilation of rules.
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5. It is easy to explain some grammar rules by others are so complicated that it is better not to bother. Most experienced teacher would accept this and plan their teaching accordingly. Perhaps a more important point is that some rules are very difficult to induce or discover. For example the correct placement of adverbs – I like football very much or He is often late may never be noticed by students unless they are pointed out explicitly. 6 It is better to do other activities such as reading a story or listening to a song first that lead to grammar. This is an underlying principle in such approaches as task-based learning and the whole language approach – you learn best by doing.
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Section B: Approaches The tasks in this section have been taken from Thornbury, 2004) Task 1 Read through the following three mini lessons and for each one decide: • • •
Sequence: Rule: Guidance:
Which comes first the rule or the example? Is the rule stated explicitly or is it implicitly understood? How much does the teacher guide the learners? ____________________
Lesson 1 Teacher “to form the present perfect continuous, use the auxiliary verb have plus the past participle of the verb to be (been) plus the present participle, for example …” Teacher writes on the board: I have been working. Has Jeff been watching TV? They haven’t been listening. “You use the present perfect continuous to talk about activities that started in the past and continue to the present (or very recent past), especially when you want to focus on the process itself, or its duration, for example…”
Teacher writes on board: We have been living here since we got married. How long have you been studying Chinese? Why is your hair wet? I’ve been swimming. “Now make sentences using the present perfect continuous for these situations… Jeff started watching TV at five o’clock. Hi has just switched the TV off. It is now nine o’clock. I first came to live in this town five years ago. I’m still living here. Our company was set up over 100 years ago. We manufactured bicycles them and we are still manufacturing them.”
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_____________________ Lesson 2 Teacher: “Dawn is standing outside the cinema. She is waiting for her friend. Dawn arrived at eight o’clock. It’s now ten past eight. She has been waiting for ten minutes. When did she start waiting? (Learners: “Eight o’clock.”) Is she still waiting? (Learners: “Yes.”) How do you express the idea of waiting that started in the past and is still continuing? (Learners: “She has been waiting.”) How is the tense formed? (Learners: “Have plus been plus –ing.”) This tense is called the present perfect continuous. Here is another situation: It is now nine o’clock and Jeff is watching TV. He started watching TV at five o’clock . He has been watching TV for four hours. Use the present perfect continuous to make a sentence for each of these situations: I first came to live in this town five years ago. I’m still living here. Our company was set up over 100 years ago. We manufactured bicycles then, and we are still manufacturing them.” _________________________
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Lesson 3 Teacher: “Once upon a time, Goldilocks visited the Bears’ house. There was nobody home. She ate some of Baby Bear’s porridge. She smoked one of Father Bear’s cigars. She drank some of Mother Bear’s coffee, and she rode Mother Bear’s motorbike. She played with Buddy Bear’s toys, and she played Buddy Bear’s guitar. She read some of Missy Bear’s magazines, and she used Missy Bear’s computer. Well, finally, she felt tired so she went upstairs to sleep. When the Bears came home, Baby Bear said, “Who’s been eating my porridge?” Repeat. (Learners: “Who’s been eating my porridge?”) Mother Bear said, “Who’s been drinking my coffee?” Repeat. (Learners: “Who’s been drinking my coffee?”) Father Bear said, “Who’s been smoking my cigar?” Repeat. (Learners: “Who’s been smoking my cigar?” What did Missy Bear say about her magazines? (Learners: Who’s been reading my magazines?” And her computer? (Learners: “Who’s been using my computer?” What did Buddy Bear say about his toys? (Learners: “Who’s been playing with my toys?” And his guitar? (Learners: “Who’s been playing my guitar?” What did Mother Bear say about her motorbike? (Learners: “Who’s been riding my motorbike?” Now tell the story to your partner.” ________________________
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Commentary Sequence
Rule
Guidance
Lesson 1
Rule example
Explicit
High
Lesson 2
Example rule
Explicit
High
Lesson 3
Examples only
Implicit
Low
Lesson 1 This is typical of a deductive approach where the rule is stated at the beginning, example are provided, and then further examples are given by the learners as evidence of their learning. The teacher guides the whole process with very little or no learner involvement until the practice stage. (Though it is possible for the teacher to involve the learners from the beginning by eliciting). Lesson 2 This is a typical inductive presentation, in which an example is given and from which the rule is discovered and then made explicit. Another example is given before the learners go on to practise the rule themselves. There is high teacher guidance through the use of leading questions. This is an example of learning by guided discovery Lesson 3 This is an example of a presentation in which examples of the target form are given in context, but where the rule is not made explicit. Learners are expected to demonstrate awareness of of the rule in their responses. If they do so, they have shown evidence of discovery learning in its unguided form.
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Task 2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the approaches above. Complete the table below. When you have finished look at the commentary. Advantages
Disadvantages
Lesson 1 Deductive
Lesson 2 Guided discovery
Lesson 3 Unguided discovery
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Commentary Advantages Lesson 1 Deductive
• • •
Direct Aim is clear Suits particular learner types who like clear grammar explanations
Disadvantages • • •
Lesson 2 Guided discovery
• •
•
Lesson 3 Unguided discovery
• • • •
•
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Involving and challenging for learners Suits particular learning types who are good at discerning patterns Usually more engaging to start with example especially if personalised
•
Reflects natural process of language learning Exposes learner to examples in context Learners are practising language at the same time as learning it Focus on USING the language rather than TALKING ABOUT the language Encourage learner autonomy
•
• •
• • •
Can involve complicated explanations and a lot of metalanguage Can demotivate learners who are ‘afraid’ of grammar Not very involving – learner needn’t make much mental effort – so may not be memorable
May frustrate those learners who like clear explanations at beginning May take a lot of time May exclude learners who are not good at discerning patterns
May put too much responsibility on learner Difficult to check if the correct rule have been ‘discovered’ May be inefficient use of time Mau frustrate some learner types
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According to Thornbury (2004), in a guided discovery approach the teacher guides and supports the learning process by: a Problem-framing
setting a problem-solving task for the learners
b Providing data
giving sufficient examples to help learners solve the problem Drawing learners’ attention to key features of the data (structure) Using questions to guide the learners to a solution
c Focussing attention d Asking leading questions e Making connections f
Giving feedback
Referring to, and building on, what the learners already know Providing messages on the state of the learners’ theorybuilding
g Recapping / summarizing
Task 3 Look at the following transcript of the presentation stage of a lesson. Try to identify the purpose of each of the teacher interventions that are numbered – choose from the list above. T (1) Now. I’m going to dictate some sentences, and I want you to write them dowm. Are you ready? Number one: I have teaching for twelve year now. [pause] Number two: Before that I was a student teacher. [pause] Number three: I have been living in Cali for a year now. [pause] Number four: Last year I was living in Bucaramanga. [pause] Number five: At present, I am living in a friend’s apartment. [pause] I am going to repeat the sentences then I want you to check in pairs to see if you both have the same …
T
OK. All those sentences are about me, but some are true and some are false. Can you guess which is which? I’ll give you a clue. Only one of them is false. Yes, Andres ….?
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T
…OK. Well done, Andres. So you guessed it correctly. Last year I wa living in Barranquilla not Bucaramanga. (2) Now let’s look at those sentences about now and sentences about the finished past….?
T
… That’s right. So we have two sentences about the finished past . And three sentences about now. (3) How do you know they are about now?
S1
‘Now’
S2
‘At present’
T
Good, ‘I have been teaching for twelve years now. I have been living in Cali for a year now. At present, I am living in a friend’s apartment.’ OK. (4) Now let’s look at these last two sentences. ‘I have been living in Cali / I am living in a friend’s apartment.’ (5) Can you see the difference?
S3
have been
T
have been living, and …
S4
am living
T
So what’s the difference?
S5
have been living is finished
T
(6) Is it? Are you sure? ‘I have been living in Cali for a year now.’ Is that finished?
T
(7) When did I start living in Cali?
S3
One year ago.
T
Good. ‘I have been living in Cali for a year now’ Am I still living in here in Cali?’
Ss
Yes
T
Obviously! ‘For a year now.’ I started living in here a year ago and I am still living here. ‘I have been living in Cali for a year now.’ From the past to the present. So what about ‘I am living at a friend’s apartment.’ Do we know when it started?
Ss
No
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T
(8) Are we talking about the past only, or the present only, or from the past to the present?
S1
The present only.
T
(9) Exactly. But I have been living in Cali for a year.’ ?
Ss
Past and present
T
Good. From past to present. (10) Do you remember what we call this tense: I am living…?
S6
Present continuous.
T
Good. So what do we call this one, have been living, do you think? [pause] Have been … what is that?
S4
Present perfect.
T
Good. (11) So have been living?
S6
Present continuous perfect.
T
Not quite. Try again. The other way around…
S6
Present perfect continuous
T
Excellent. And so we use the present perfect continuous as a way of connecting the past to the present …
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Commentary This teacher here uses a guided discovery approach in this lesson. The teacher personalises the data, and makes it into a kind of game (true / false) in order to engage the learners and to encourage them to think about the meaning of the sentences – this helps them to make sense of the rule. The teacher includes a time adverbial in each of the sentences so that the students can make sense of them even before the focus on present continuous / present perfect continuous. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
providing data problem framing asking leading questions ( or focussing attention) focussing attention problem framing giving feedback asking leading questions asking leading questions giving feedback making connections (or asking leading questions) making connections (or asking leading questions) recapping / summarizing
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Task 4 Try to do this task with a colleague. Choose one of the structures in the box below. Design a guided discovery presentation for the structure. You need to follow the sequence of a guided discovery presentation (from examples to rule and that you provide support and guidance for the learners in the form of problem framing and leading questions. Think about the following: • Will the examples be easily understood by the learner? • Do the examples include vocabulary that needs to be explained or pretaught? • Is there a very clear context for the examples? • Do the examples provide a typical, and natural, context for the targeted language structure? • Are there sufficient examples for learners to work out the rule? To have something done (e.g. I’ve had the kitchen painted) To be getting used to something (e.g. I’m getting used to this classroom,) Would you mind … -ing? (e.g. would you mind opening the window? Too+adjective+infinitive (e.g. it’s too hot to play tennis) Should+have+past participle (e.g. you should have brought your sunglasses. Please post your ideas on the website forum for comments from your colleagues.
Task 5 Read: Nunan, D 1998 Language Teaching Methodology Prentice Hall – chapter 8 Focus on Form The role of grammar. This is an overview of research into grammar and second language acquisition. Before reading, note down what theories you expect to read to read about.
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Section 3: Presentation techniques Most tasks in this section have been taken from Tanner & Green
TASK 1 Look at the following ways of presenting grammar. After each description of a presentation mark it from 1 – 4 as follows: 1 I have never seen this presentation and I don’t think it would work in my class 2 I have never seen this presentation but I would like to try it in one of my classes 3 I have used this presentation in one of my classes and it didn’t work very well. 4 I have used this presentation and it worked very well . 1 USING A SONG TEXT The teacher finds a song text that contains a lot of present perfect tenses. He makes a work sheet where some of the present perfect tenses are blanked out and as the learners listen to the song they try to fill in the gaps. The teacher then asks for the answers and asks the learners why the present perfect tense is used and not the past tense. He elicits (or explains if necessary) the use and form of the present perfect tense. For an example of a song using the present perfect tense form presentation purposes see Cambridge English Course, Book 2 , Unit 7A I’ve never been to Athens. Your mark
2 USING A TIME LINE The teacher draws a time line on the board, representing the sentence I have seen her as the dotted line [ ------------------- ] on the diagram below. He tells the class that it is placed between PAST and NOW, the present perfect used for an unspecified time: I saw her, but I don’t tell you when or where so I use the present perfect tense. I have seen her [ ------------------------- ] PAST
NOW
FUTURE
Your mark
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3 READING Learners do the following worksheet in groups. Here is part of Ursulas’ school report. SCHOOL REPORT - MARLBOROUGH COMPREHENSIVE Name : Ursula Jones
Age: 12
Class: 1C
Subject
Mark
Remarks
ENGLISH
A
Very good Ursula has worked hard this term and received high marks in her tests. Well done! P.B
GEOGRAPHY
C
An average mark. Ursula likes geography but has found it difficult this term. She has written an interesting project about the Lake District. H.T
MATHS
B
Ursula has had a good term; she has worked very hard and has improved a lot. J.O
SPORT
B
Ursula has enjoyed her dance classes this term and has done very well. She has also done very well in gymnastics. P.W
Read Ursula’s report. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)? 1 Ursula has worked hard in geography. T/F 2 She has received low marks in her English test. T/F 3 She has written a project about Wales. T/F 4 She has not worked hard in her Maths lessons. T/F 5 She has danced in the sports lessons. T/F 6 She has done better in Maths this term than she did last term T/F Now write two more sentences about Ursula: 7 She has 8 She has
Your mark
4 USING REALIA (Real objects)
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The teacher puts some objects on a desk in front of the class : a briefcase, some books, a cup of coffee, a piece of chalk and some objects from the learners in the class. He then asks the class to close their eyes or turn round for a few seconds and quickly moves some objects. He asks the class , What have I moved? And tries to elicit examples of the present perfect using, You have moved from them. For example, You have moved the coffee, You have moved the blue book. He writes examples of the sentences that he has elicited on the blackboard. Your mark
5 PERSONALISATION The teacher writes up the names of 5 people he knows on the board. He tells the class about each of the five people using a present perfect tense with just for each one. For example, My son has just started school or My friend Alex has just gone to Miami on holiday. He writes the 5 sentences on the board , explaining that if we use just and the present perfect tense, and we don’t say exactly when, it means that something has happened in the very recent past. He explains the third person form of the present perfect tense (has plus the past participle) and asks the learners to write down the names of 5 people they know. The learners then try to use the present perfect tense writing about the 5 people in their lives, using the present perfect tense and just. The learners then get into groups to tell each other about what they have written. Your mark
6 EXPLAINING DIRECTLY
The teacher writes the form of the present perfect tense on the board: Subject + Have + Past participle + Object He then explains to the class that the present perfect is used: i) ii)
for an unspecified time in the past and when something started in the past and is still true now.
He gives some examples to illustrate, for i) I have been to America and for ii) She has lived in Lima for 5 years. Your mark
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7 PRACTISING AND PRESENTING The teacher gives out the table below asking learners to work in pairs and ask and answer the questions. The learners are familiar with the vocabulary in the table but not with the present perfect tense. He does a few examples with individual learners first.
Have you ever seen
an elephant? your great-grandmother ? a TV programme about dolphins? a UFO? a shooting star ? the Mediterranean Sea? Rio de Janeiro harbour ? etc
No. I haven’t
Yes , I have
The teacher gradually elicits the present perfect tense questions by asking his class, What question did I ask you ?. Some learners will reproduce her question with prompting . The teacher eventually writes on the blackboard: Present Perfect Tense Questions Has/have + person + past participle ? (Have) (you) (seen) He asks the class when they think these type of questions are used. The learners explain to the teacher what they think. The teacher explains to the class that the present perfect tense is used with Have you ever ……? To ask general questions about what people have done in the unspecified past Your mark
8 DISCOVERING The teacher asks the learners to look at a reading passage which they have studied before as a reading text. The learners then guess in groups which of the following sentences (a) to (g) are grammatically correct (C) or incorrect (I) and circle the letter C or I next to each sentence. A B C D E F
The children have brought pencils to the lesson The children has understood Miss Honey’s speech Matilda have begun school a bit late The children have just start school The lessons has started today Matilda has not been to school before
British Council, Bogotá 2006
C/I C/I C/I C/I C/I C/I
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Learners then complete the two substitution tables below. If they have problems, the teacher supplies them with the words have and has , but does not tell the learners where to place the words until they have tried for themselves. This gives this activity an element of discovery learning THE PRESENT PERFECT : STATEMENTS Subject I, you, we, they, children He , she, it, Matilda
have /has
Rest of sentence
the _____________ school
After the learners have completed the table, the teacher asks them to correct the original incorrect sentences (a) to (g). He checks their answers. Your mark
9 USING A CHART The teacher draws the following chart on the board : Name Alicia Geovanny
USA 3
Venezuela 3 3
Britain 3
Spain
The teacher asks different learners in the class, Have you been to Britain ? or , Have you been to Venezuela? Completing the row by ticking (3) the appropriate box as the learners give their answers. Once the chart is complete without about 5 learners he asks the class what question he was asking. He then writes his question on the board and gives a short explanation of the form of the present perfect tense and the question form. He rubs the ticks off the board. Learners then copy the empty table into their notebooks leaving space for 5 names and ticks. They then ask each other the question Have you been to ………..? and tick the appropriate boxes in their tables. Afterwards they write 5 sentences in their notebooks about the five people they interviewed (for example , Alicia has been to Spain and Venezuela ,but she hasn’t been to the USA) Your mark
British Council, Bogotá 2006
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10 ELICITING The teacher tells his class what he has done this morning: I’ve had my breakfast. I’ve said goodbye to my children. I’ve drunk two cups of coffee. I’ve driven to school. (etc). He writes on the board, What have you done this morning? And then asks individual this question gradually eliciting present perfect sentences. If the learners make mistakes he corrects them gently. He slowly builds up correct present perfect sentences on the board (I’ve fed my dog, I’ve eaten some bread) He then points out that the present perfect tense is used for unspecified past time – if the time in the past when an event happened is not mentioned the present perfect tense is often used. Your mark
11 COMPARING SPANISH AND ENGLISH A Spanish speaking teacher of English introduces the present perfect tense pointing out the differences between the use and the form of the present perfect tense in English and the perfect and past tenses in Spanish. Your mark
12 DICTOGLOSSS The teacher writes a short paragraph about his life using the past tense (which it is assumed the learners have already seen and the present perfect tense which may be new to the learners). e.g: I began teaching twenty years ago. From 1982 to 1990 I worked in Buccaramanga. Since 1990 I have worked in Bogotà. From 1990 to 1995 I worked in Gimnasio La Salle but since 1995 I have worked in the AngloColombiano school. The teacher reads this passage once at normal speed and tells the learners to just listen and not to try to write anything. When he has finished reading the teacher tells the students to write down anything they can remember, any date, any fact. The teacher then reads the passage again at normal speed and asks the learners to get into groups and to try to reconstruct the passage exactly. When learners have tried to do this the teacher takes an OHT transfer and slowly reveals the passage to the learners.* The teacher then asks using the present perfect tense: How long have I worked in Bogotà?
British Council, Bogotá 2006
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How long have I worked in the Anglo- Colombiano? And concept questions: Do I work in Gimnasio La Salle now? Where do I work now? The student then write paragraphs about their own life and compare them in groups. * If you use an OHT transfer it is a good idea to reveal the text slowly line by line by putting a piece of paper over the transfer and slowly pulling it down so that learners are able to check exactly what they have written against the original text. It is also more exciting and hence more motivating to reveal the text in this way. If you do not have an overhead projector the text can be written out on a piece of cardboard which can then be stuck to the board with sellotape. Another piece of cardboard can then be stuck over the first one and this piece of cardboard can be slowly pulled down to reveal the text bit by bit just as with an OHT transfer. Your mark
TASK 2 1 If you were introducing the present perfect tense for the first time, which of the eleven presentation techniques would you use? (You may choose to combine two or three of them) 2 In which order would you use your chosen presentation techniques? 3 Use one or more of these techniques to present grammar structures in your class. The structure presented doesn’t have to be the present perfect tense. When you have used a few of these techniques assess how successful they were on a scale of 1 to 4: • 1 Not successful at all .The students completely confused as to meaning and not using the structure at all 2 Not very successful. The students made some attempt to repeat the structure but didn’t see to be using it in a meaningful or creative way. 3 Reasonably successful. The students were using the structure quite a lot and seem to have some idea of its meaning 4 Very successful. The students are using the structure accurately and creating their own utterances using the structure.
British Council, Bogotá 2006
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TASK 3
Read the passage below on form and use, and then do the task which follows. FORM AND USE When we present a new grammar point to learners, it is useful to present two different aspects: its form and use. Form means the grammatical form of an item and the rules for it. For example does a word have an s at the end ? When do we add –ed to the end of a verb and when not? What is the word order of a question ? When do you use do and when do you use did in a question. Form also includes phonology. Use deals with the context. When or where is an item used ? To discover the use of an item , ask yourself, In which situation is an item used in natural communication? For example one use of the present simple tense is for describing actions that people do every day (I get up at 7.30), so in your presentation for the present simple tense you might include a natural situation where a person is telling someone else what they do every day, such as a learner writing to a new penfriend , telling her about a typical day at his school. In the 12 presentations in task 1 the form and use were both presented. But which use of the present perfect tense was presented in each one ? Complete the table below with the use of the present perfect which was presented in each case . Two examples are done for you.
British Council, Bogotá 2006
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Technique
Which use of the present perfect is presented ?
1 Using a song text
•
2 Using a time line
•
3 Reading
•
4 Using realia
•
5 Personalisation
•
6 Explaining directly
•
7 Practising presenting 8 Discovering
and
•
Questions and tag questions; general questions int the past with ever.
•
9 Using a chart
•
10 Eliciting
•
11 Comparing Spanish and English 12 Dictogloss
•
British Council, Bogotá 2006
unspecified time in the past
•
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Commentary 1 Using a song text unclear; it depends on the song chosen 2 Using a time line unspecified time in the past 3 Reading something started in the past which is still true now. 4 Using realia unspecified time in the past 5 Personalisation used with just to talk about something that has happened in the very recent past 6 Explaining directly unspecified time in the past and something started in the past which is still true now 7 Practising and presenting questions and tag questions; general questions in the past with ever. 8 Discovering unspecified time in the past and something which started in the past and is still true now. 9 Using a chart unspecified time in the past and general questions 10 Eliciting unspecified time in the past 11 Comparing Spanish and English unclear (presumably all uses). 12 Dictogloss something which began in the past and is still true now.
Task 4 Read: Ur, Penny (1999) A Course in Language Teaching. CUP Module 1: unit one Presentations and Explanations Module 1: unit two Examples of presentation procedures Module 1: unit three Explanation and instructions Take time to do the tasks suggested by Penny Ur in the text. If possible do this task with a colleague.
British Council, Bogotá 2006
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Section D – Practice Task 1 Read the following conversation between Andres, a teacher at a school in Bogotá, and Simon, a teacher trainer from the British Council. They are talking on the telephone. Then answer the questions that follow. Andres: Simon: Andres:
I’ve got a problem. What kind of problem? My students won’t speak English in class. Can you help me?
•
How many people need to be involved in communication?
•
What do people do when they communicate?
•
Why do people ask questions in real life?
•
Why is Andres asking questions?
•
Why does she need information?
•
What’s Simon doing?
•
What makes this conversation more difficult? Can the two speakers see each other?
Commentary • • • • • • • •
Communication involves interaction. When we communicate, we exchange or transfer information. Information can include facts, opinions, attitudes, feelings etc. In real life, people ask questions because they do not know the answer – there is a gap. Andres is asking questions because she does not know how to solve the problem – there is a gap. Simon is offering to help the gap. He is also checking and clarifying. Communication involves transferring information over a gap – an information gap. Communication involves checking and clarifying.
We should try use grammar practice activities in the classroom that incorporate these communicative features most of the time. There are, of course, noncommunicative practice activities that are also useful, for example drilling.
British Council, Bogotá 2006
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Task 2 The terms controlled practice and freer practice are often used when discussing practice activities. What do you understand by these terms? If possible discuss your answers with a colleague and note down your ideas.
Commentary Controlled (or restricted) practice activities: • Are accuracy focussed – the teacher is concerned that the students are using the correct form • The students have a very limited choice of language to use – the language used in the activity is controlled by the teacher Free (or less controlled) activities: • Are fluency focussed – the teacher is concerned that the students are communicating effectively • The students can use whatever language resources they have – the control what language is used Actually we should think of controlled and free practice as part of a continuum
CONTROLLED
FREE
Task 3 There are two activities here. Where would you place them on the above continuum? Activity 1 Complete these sentences with the past simple or the present perfect. 1. David Beckham ________ (play) for Real Madrid for 34 years. 2. He ___________ (move) to Spain with his family in 2002. 3. etc Activity 2 Write a fan letter to your favourite English football player. Tell him a little about yourself and why you like his team.
British Council, Bogotá 2006
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Commentary Both these activities give the learners an opportunity to use language but in different ways. 1 is very controlled and would be placed on the far left on the continuum. Activity 2 is almost entirely free and would be placed quite far right on the continuum. Many of the activities we do in the classroom would however be placed between these two.
Task 4 On the next page, you will find eight activities from four different lessons. A) Read through the activities carefully and try to complete the table below: In column 1 identify the target language (the language point that the class in working on) In column 2 identify the activity the teacher chose to provide accuracy focussed controlled practice In column 3 identify the activity the teacher chose to provide fluency focussed freer practice B) Where would you place these activities on the controlled/free continuum? C) Are all the activities communicative?
1.Target language
2.Controlled practice activity
3. Freer practice activity
E
B
EXAMPLE Personal questions
information
British Council, Bogotá 2006
31
Task 4 – eight activities from four lessons. A Find someone who... Go/Cali Live/outside Bogota Eat/ants Swim/Pacific Ocean Go/Miami
_______ ________ _______ _______ _______
E In grid of 9 boxes, sts draw important people in their life, 3 women, 3 men, 3 families. Sts swap with their partner, ask and fill in (who/where live/what do/ old).
B Students bring in family photos. Students work in groups. They spread the photos on the floor and discuss them.
C Give groups students a map of Colombia. They discuss where they have and haven’t been.
F Students work in groups of 3. They each have a set of place cards (Cali, Tunja, etc) and a set of adjective cards (cold, big, green, quiet, etc). In turn sts pick up 2 place cards and 1 adjective card. They make sentences comparing the places using the adjective.
G Students do a mini-survey. They each ask 4 students about their childhood, (live/look like/watch on TV/hate eating).
D Divide the class in two groups. Assign one group the city Bogota and the other group Medellin. Each group notes down why their city is better than the other. Then have a debate between the groups. H Students draw a picture of the school they attended. In pairs students discuss their childhood routines.
Commentary 1.Target language
2.Controlled practice activity
3. Freer practice activity
E
B
Present perfect simple for experience
A
C
Used to ( for past habits and states)
G
H
Comparative adjectives
F
D
EXAMPLE Personal questions
information
Task 4 Now think of a controlled practice activity and a freer practice activity for the following language points. Make sure the activities are communicative. When you have finished, post you ideas on the website forum for others to comment on. If possible, do this task with a colleague. 1. going to (to talk about future plans) 2. like / don’t like 3. in / on / under 4. past continuous
Task 5 Read: Ur, Penny (1999) A Course in Language Teaching. CUP Module 2: unit one The function of practice Module 2: unit two Characteristics of a good practice activity Module 2: unit three Practice techniques Module 2: unit four Sequence and progression in practice Take time to do the tasks suggested by Penny Ur in the text. If possible, do this task with a colleague.
Section E – Grammar in the Young Learner Classroom Task 1 Think about the following statements and note down your ideas. If possible, discuss these with a partner. 1. Grammar is too difficult for children and it should not be taught in youn learner classes. 2. Young learners need to be taught grammar in order to communicate effectively. 3. Grammar is the most important part of a language. 4. If we do not focus on form in the young learner classroom then our pupils will learn inaccurate rules.
Task 2 Read Cameron, L (2001) Teaching Languages to Young Learners CUP Chapter
5:
Learning
Grammar
ICELT distance unit 5
Grammar presentation & practice
References Tanner, R & Green, C 1998 Tasks for Teacher Education Longman Thornbury, S. 2004 how to … introduce new language Oxford University Press Nunan, D 1998 Language Teaching Methodology Prentice Hall Ur,
Penny
(1999)
British Council, Bogotá 2006
A
Course
in
Language
Teaching.
CUP
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ICELT distance unit 5
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FEEDBACK on Grammar practice & presentation unit 1. How long did it take you to work through this unit? Less than 6 hours
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