LANGUAGE RELATED TASKS

ASSIGNMENT 2 – LANGUAGE RELATED TASKS

On the next page is a text about the importance of context in understanding language.

Look at the items from the text in the box below.  For each item do the following:

1. analyse the meaning, describing how you would check students’ understanding.  Use concept checking questions plus some other clarification techniques if appropriate, e.g. timeline, pictures, cline…
2. Highlight pronunciationas you would on the board for students.  Think about sounds, stress and features of connected speech.  Just highlight key features.
3. Highlight the formas you would for students on the board in class.  In addition, for the grammar, say what the name of the structure is and it’s use.  For the functions, state the function.
4. For the grammarand functions, give another utterance that could be generated using the same structure in the same context.

1. Would you mind showing me your tickets? (function)
2. Teachers should createclear contexts. (function)
3. If a ticket collector saidthis, passengers would be (grammar)
   
4. I have leftmy scalpel at home (grammar)
5. get away with (vocabulary)
   
6. surgeon (vocabulary)

You must use a grammar book and dictionary for this assignment as it is part of the criteria.  Ensure you use books aimed at ESL teachers and include them as a reference at the end of your assignment.

Please look at the sample answers for guidance.

“Tickets, please!”

Because a lot of language use takes place in fairly routine and predictable situations, we are used to assuming a high degree of shared knowledge with other speakers.  This in turn means that there is little need to be very explicit.  It explains why ticket collectors can get away with requests like “Tickets, please” or even “Tickets”.  Passengers on buses or trains are already in a context which primes them to fill in the gaps (“Can you show me your tickets, please?”).  It is unlikely that they would fill the gap with “Have you seen my tickets?” or “I’m going to buy tickets.”, inferences that might be quite plausible in different contexts.  In this context, it is also not considered rude to simply say “Tickets!”.  However, “Would you mind showing me your tickets?” might surprise passengers.

By the same token, passengers on a bus would be hard pressed to make sense of the ticket collector saying “scalpel”.  If a ticket collector said this, passengers would be confused.  Whereas, an assistant surgeon in an operating theatre would be able to make perfect sense of it.  In other words, the context creates shared expectations that reduce the need for language, and for grammar in particular.

When the reference contained in the propositions extend beyond the immediate context, however, lexical language becomes less effective.  This is where we need to start enlisting grammar.  Imagine, for example, the surgeon has left the scalpel at home, and phones for it,  “Scalpel!” will no longer do.  It makes too many assumptions regarding the state of the listener’s shared knowledge.  The surgeon will need to flesh out the message along the lines of “I have left my scalpel at home.  Can you bring it to the hospital for me?”  And, if no one is at home and the surgeon has to leave a message on the answering machine, the message will be more complicated still.

It is for these reasons that teachers should create clear contexts when teaching and helping students with language.  It’s the context that helps students to understand what the language means and know when to use it.

Text adapted from “Uncovering Grammar” by Scott Thornbury, MacMillan, 2005.

SAMPLE ANSWERS

Functions

…the surgeon has to leave a message…

Checking meaning:

CCQs:
Is this about the past, present or future? (present or future)

Is it important to do? (yes)

Can the surgeon choose? (no)

Pronunciation on board:
            Ÿ                     Ÿ            Ÿ
…the surgeon has to leave a message…

/tə/        /ə/

Form and function on the board

…the surgeon has to leave….

Subject + has/have to + base verb = expressing an obligation

Other utterance

…the surgeon has to call someone else…

Grammar

I’m going to buy tickets.

Checking meaning

CCQs:

Did I decide to buy tickets in the past? (yes)

Will I buy the tickets in the future? (yes)

Is this a plan? (yes)

Timeline:

decided to

buy tickets                     buy tickets

 Past                               Now                                     Future

Grammar Cont.

Pronunciation on board

Ÿ   Ÿ

I’m going to buy tickets.

/gʌnə/

Form and label on the board

I’m going to buy tickets.

Subject + is/am/are + going to + base verb = going to future (to talk about future plans/intentions)

Other utterance

I’m going to ask how much a ticket is.

Vocabulary

passenger

Checking meaning

CCQs: Is it a person? (yes)

Is it a person in a car? (yes)

It is a person on a bus? (yes)

Is it the person driving? (no)

Where else can you be a passenger? (train, tram, aeroplane…)

Pronunciation on board

Ÿ

passenger

/dʒə/

Form on the board

passenger  = noun

ASSIGNMENT 2 – Language related tasks

Candidate’s name: …………………

Additional notes for trainer

ASSIGNMENT 2 – Language related tasks

Candidate’s name: ………….……………….

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