Answer the following questions based on the text "What is the history of reading and writing?"
1) Find examples of fixed expressions, semi-fixed expressions and collocations.
2) Think of a possible teaching context and plan three activities to present the new vocabulary. You may use or adapt any of the sample exercises in chapters 6 and 7.
3) Based on your experience wirking with the text proposed, What would you say are the pros and cons of this approach? Do you agree with the following statement by Thornbury (p.11): "Lewis offers us a prospect of a journey, even an exciting one, but it is a journey without maps". Discuss your answers in pairs.
Dumitrescu (2000) mentions several advantages to using authentic materials in the classroom. Can you add more advantages to the list below? - Authentic materials contain topics of interest to students and encourage reading for pleasure, and they are practical and real because they provide valid linguistic data. What would be possible disadvantages? Explain in your own words.
Answer the following questions based on the text "What is the history of reading and writing?"
ReplyDelete1) Find examples of fixed expressions, semi-fixed expressions and collocations.
In the field of
It is a good idea to
Be concerned with
The purpose of (doing sth)
2) Think of a possible teaching context and plan three activities to present the new vocabulary. You may use or adapt any of the sample exercises in chapters 6 and 7.
These activities are designed for 17-year-old students at secondary school at an intermediate level. This text could be used in a unit related to technology.
Activity 1: Teacher will provide students with the text and will ask them to read it and get the main idea. After reading it, teacher will ask questions to aid comprehension and she will write some sentences on the blackboard. She will underline lexical phrases and will ask students to provide their meaning. Students will be asked to provide new sentences using the lexical phrases and the whole class will discuss if they are being used correctly.
Activity 2: Students will be given a photocopy in which they have to use their dictionaries, find the correct collocations for certain prepositions and complete a diagram. Teacher will provide with an example using her own dictionary.
Activity 3: Students will be asked to write a short story in 100 words integrating at least 8 lexical phrases learnt in the lesson.
3) Based on your experience working with the text proposed, What would you say are the pros and cons of this approach? Do you agree with the following statement by Thornbury (p.11): "Lewis offers us a prospect of a journey, even an exciting one, but it is a journey without maps". Discuss your answers in pairs.
From my point of view, what I find really interesting about this approach is the fact that students' awareness is raised. They learn the language in a critical way and they can apply that knowledge in real situations. The con of this approach could be that teachers are not provided with a clear idea of how to organise an entire lesson, so it is difficult for teachers who are not trained to make the best of this approach; that's why I agree with Thornbury's statement.
1- In the field of... (Semi-fixed expression)
ReplyDeleteOne by one... (Fixed expression)
It is said...(Fixed expression)
In reality... (Fixed expression)
Focus on... (Collocation)
Devote to... (Collocation)
2- Grade: 6th form
Level: Elementary/pre-intermediate
Topic: Giving directions.
Activity 1: T will show images to Ss about traffic signs, and will ask them what they mean. In case Ss don't know what those signs represent, they can explain their meaning. When all of them are explained, T will categorize them and will make a list of the ones used to give directions.
Activity 2: T will show Ss a video of different people giving different directions around town. After watching the first time, T will hand out a photocopy containing phrases that appear on the video, such as "turn _____" or "go_____"for Ss to watch again and complete.Also, there will be a short dialogue containing fixed expressions, like social greetings or phrase book language.
Activity 3: With the language learned in this lesson, T and Ss will exit the classroom. One S will think of a place in the school, and will give directions to lead the group to that destination. This will take around 15 minutes.
3- I believe that this approach explores real language and real situations. Ss become more aware of how to speak "good English". Even though it does not cover grammar (at least not overtly) this approach helps Ss delve into language for everyday situations. Maybe the main problem is that if grammar and internal structures are not developed and fixed in Ss' minds they will invariably make mistakes when it comes to building sentences.
What Thornbury aims at with his statement is that the items of vocabulary introduced are random, and unlinked. But on the bright side, T can tackle any type of vocabulary however he/she wants. There is no guidebook to follow.