some SERIOUS stuff
The followings are several selected works related to English Language Teaching (ELT) written by fellow academicians and researchers some of whom I do not know in person but whose work and findings inspire me as much as I hope they inspire you.
The views presented here do not necessarily reflect those of the web master but solely of the writers themselves to whom correspondence for further clarification, discussion and exchange of ideas should be addressed to.
Ideational Frameworks - Language Awareness - Learning Cycle
Grammar and Its Teaching: Challenging the Myths
Input - Transition - Output: An Alternative
Using Ideational Frameworks* to Raise Language Awareness* of the Simple Past Tense Among Form 4 Civil Engineering Learners of Malaysian National Secondary Technical Schools.
( A project paper submitted for the requirements of the M.Ed (TESL) at the University of Technology Malaysia [UTM], 1997 )
- adler -
ABSTRACT
The problem of having to adopt and focus either on form or meaning in the teaching of English among ESL teachers has always been an interesting issue and, as a result, brought about new and pragmatic innovations for use in the language classrooms. Recently, the notion of `Consciousness - Raising' or `Language Awareness' has sparked off a growing inclination for the search of `the' method for the teaching of the English Language grammar to L2 learners. Towards this end, it is therefore, the aim of this small-scale project to look into and propose an arbitrary approach in the teaching of the target language, by combining a newly developed teaching technique called the `Ideational Frameworks' (IFs) together with the communicative approach of `Language Learning Cycle' and the psycholinguistic notion of Language Awareness into one pragmatic and effective module for use by ESL teachers. This project adopts a quasi-experimental approach involving the obligatory occurrence analysis of essay writings by 26 secondary technical school students over a period of about six consecutive weeks. Taking a hypothesis stand, the findings of this project reveal that the effect of using IFs technique does enhance the language awareness of the Simple Past Tense among the subjects in their series of essay writings both overall and between groups of PMR results. Thus, it is the conclusion of this study that IFs is very practical for classroom use and may serve as a powerful tool both as a means for teaching as well as learning. Hopefully, by putting the technique to constant and gradual use, not only will ESL teachers find it easy and interesting to teach the English language to their respective L2 learners but also enable learners themselves to take charge of their own learning towards becoming an independent and an effective learner of the target language.
* Our gratitude to John Burgess & Patricia McEldowney of the University of Manchester, UK, and also to Dr. Salbiah Seliman and Khairi Izwan Abdullah of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Grammar and Its Teaching: Challenging the Myths
Diane Larsen-Freeman, School for International Training (VT)
( March 1997 )
INTRODUCTION
Grammar is often misunderstood in the language teaching field. The misconception lies in the view that grammar is a collection of arbitrary rules about static structures in the language. Further Questionable claims are that the structures do not have to be taught, learners will acquire them on Their own, or if the structures are taught, the lessons that ensue will be boring. Consequently, communicative and proficiency-based teaching approaches sometimes unduly limit grammar instruction. Of the many claims about grammar that deserve to be called myths, this digest will challenge ten.
For Full Version and Source:
Pronunciation: The Prosodic Features
( An assignment submitted for the requirements of the B.Ed (HONS.)TESOL at the University of Manchester, UK, 1994 )
- adler -
ABSTRACT
The teaching of pronunciation has always been taken rather lightly among English as Second Language (ESL) teachers. In the Malaysian context, the place of pronunciation in the overall context of ESL teaching has been seen as having less prominence than it was before (before independence) for various reasons. And, if ever pronunciation is taught in ESL classrooms, the more common method of conducting the lesson would be done using techniques, which are considered less contextual, like `Word Attack List' and `Paired Discrimination Drills'. The problem of adopting such approach is that pronunciation skill is taught in isolation thus giving rise to boredom among learners. Therefore, it is the aim of this article to develop a teaching module and suggest the use of a new technique called Ideational Frameworks (IFs)* for the teaching of pronunciation among second language learners. Not only IFs assist learners improve their pronunciation skill in a more contextual means but also the technique involves the integration of the various language skills like reading, speaking and listening as well as the acquisition of new vocabulary.
Input - Transition - Output: An Alternative
( Part of an assignment submitted for the requirements of the M.Ed TESL at the University of Technology Malaysia, 1997 )
- adler -
ABSTRACT
This approach which is called the Input-Transition-Output ( ITO ) approach actually resembles a real life cycle of information collection and the further communication of selected parts of that information. Developed by McEldowney (1982), it actually works well and provides the ideal platform for many if not most language learning lessons to be conducted for all levels of learners - primary, intermediate, advanced. The first stage is called the Input Stage. Under the Input Stage, a learner's task would be to comprehend the information (the input in its original form) according to the requirements of the task or focus of the lesson (grammar, reading comprehension, note-taking, etc.). For example, if the lesson for the day focuses on grammar, then, the learner's main task would be to identify the particular grammar item (e.g. past tense, preposition, etc.) perhaps by underlining or highlighting them using highlighters. The second and next stage is the Transition Stage where the information identified, highlighted and listed earlier would be manipulated or put to use for meaningful language practice. The transition or transition notes, which is now the relatively simpler but exact information of the original one, can be represented in the form of a Flow Chart, Tree Diagram or Grid (Burgess, 1994). Apparently, this is one of the main differences between ITO and the conventional Presentation, Practice and Production approaches. Here, the learner would use his/her own discovered information for whatever `contextualised practice' towards mastering the focus of the lesson. Finally, after having enough practice at the Transition Stage above, the learning process moves on to eliciting the learner's knowledge. This process of eliciting the learner's understanding of the lesson is done under the Output Stage. It is here that evidence of learning may be proven brought about by the learner's successful production of the language item being focused either in the form of spoken or written language. Interestingly enough, the learning process does not end there. Whatever output the learner produces can be used for further language practice thus creating a recycle of the whole learning process (Again a clear difference between ITO and PPP). For example, the spoken or written output earlier may be used as a transition note (second stage) where it can be transformed into and represented in the form of visuals (pictures, diagrams etc.).
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