Учебное пособие: The English grammar

When is it useful to present language through a visual/oral context?

The introduction of structures in this way is often used:

· if the students are at a low level and the teacher wants to keep extraneous language to a minimum;

· if the students are young and would not be so interested in an overt focus on the grammar rules of the language item;

· if the meaning and use of the language is complex and so clear, simple, but generative context is needed: you can create a context which provides a number of examples of the target language, which allows students to have plenty of controlled practice;

· if a single language item is being introduced;

· if you want to create a context that the students can relate to: if the situation is personalized in some way it will be more interesting and memorable to the students;

· if you want the situation to be unambiguous (unless there is a good reason to be ambiguous).

What are the disadvantages of this approach?

o The language can be contrived and artificial.

o It can be time-consuming to set up a new context for each new language item (although often ‘mini-contexts’ can be set up to illustrate the meaning of two or three words – see Section 2: Vocabulary ).

o It is quite teacher-centered, as the teacher is ‘up-front’ at the beginning of the lesson.

o It demands a lot from the teacher by way of a ‘performance’.

o Higher level and/or older students may feel this approach is ‘less serious’ than one which explains the ‘rule’ at the start, as described below.

Texts

As was pointed out in Chapter 5, as well as providing a means of practising listening and reading skills, texts can provide a natural context for language exploration and a pool from which particular language items and structures can be drawn, analyzed and practised. The texts can be very varied: reading texts such as newspaper and magazine articles, stories, biographies, information leaflets and booklets, letters, reports, notices, etc; listening texts such as conversations, interviews, short talks, radio or television programmes, songs, etc. Texts which are intrinsically interesting and which give the students something to communicate about are especially useful as a vehicle for introducing and practising language.

Clearly, written texts provide a more suitable context for language which is mostly found in the written form: for example, I look forward to … (your reply/our meeting/ receiving your estimate ) – as in a formal letter. And listening texts are more useful for introducing language which is generally spoken, for example: See you …(later, soon, tomorrow, net week , etc).

When is it useful to present language through texts?

The presentation of language in this way is often used:

o when students are of intermediate level and above. Because the texts from which the language is taken are often authentic or adapted from authentic material, this way is especially suitable for students who already have some language.Authentic texts give exposure to language as a whole and not just grammatical structures in isolation, providing opportunities for natural acquisition of less familiar language as well as learning/studying of the focus language area;

o if the meaning and use of the structure is complex and the meaning of the new item is clearly illustrated by the context present in the text;

o if the new structure is being introduced in contrast with language which is already familiar and which is also present in the text;

o if a number of items are being introduced – perhaps several exponents of a function (for example, several ways of giving advice in a conversation between friends);

o if the structure has been encountered before. A way of revising language is to take it from a new and interesting context. Texts can always contain new vocabulary, even if the structures have been met before. This helps get over the ‘not the past simple again!’. Problem – i. e. when students need revision of areas that they have practised before and feel they are not making progress;

o if you want the presentation and practice of a particular structure to be integrated naturally into skills work. The language item can be drawn from a reading or listening text, isolated and focused upon, and then practised naturally in, for example, a speaking or writing tasks where the structure can get used more freely;

o when you use the students’ coursebook. Many modern coursebooks contain texts chosen (or adapted) from authentic material to illustrate particular structures which fit into the structural syllabus of the course.

Are there any problems in using texts for presenting language?

If they are not available in the coursebook it isn’t always easy to find authentic texts or to create texts which contain natural examples of the structure you want to introduce, particularly if the surrounding language is to be of the ‘right’ level, i. e. ‘comprehensible’. For this reason it’s not so easy to introduce language through texts to lower level students. Texts which are specially written to illustrate the target language and which are simple enough for the students to cope with are often very contrived and unnatural.

However, this approach should not be ruled out. If they are well chosen, there is no reason why short authentic, or at least ‘semi-authentic’ or simplified texts. Should not be used with low-level students. You may have to adapt a reading text or construct a semi-authentic listening text by getting someone (perhaps another trainee or a teacher) to record a monologue using the structures you want to illustrate. If you give the person some notes to work with but let him or her speak spontaneously, you can get a more authentic – sounding listening text.

К-во Просмотров: 830
Бесплатно скачать Учебное пособие: The English grammar