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Chapter 12: Focusing on language - Coggle Diagram
Chapter 12: Focusing on language
Errors and correction
Humans learn by trial and error
Students mistakes' are proof that progress is being made
Different kinds of errors
grammar (wrong tense)
I am here since Tuesday.
lexis (incorrect collocation)
After three years they made a divorce.
pronunciation (word stress)
The secretary is in the office.
grammar (verb-noun agreement)
Alice like this school.
pronunciation (/ʃ/vs. / tʃ/)
l eat chocolate every day.
grammar (word order)
Where you did go yesterday?
lexis (incorrect word) - and rude!
Give me one butterbread!
pronunciation (/ɪ/vs./i:/)
I'm going to heat you.
Teacher decisions
When to deal with it?
Main objective of speaking activity
Accuracy
later
not at all
focused immediate correction
Fluency
brief, unobtrusive, immediate
correction (scaffolding)
not at all
later
Who will correct?
small group
all class
teacher-student
student-student
coursebook/reference books
self-correction
Whether to deal with it?
How will the student take the correction?
What is my intention in correcting?
Am I correcting something they don't know?
Will it help or hinder learning?
Which technique to use to indicate that an error has occurred or to enable correction?
Indicate that an error has been made.
Finger correction
Ask a question
Gestures, facial expressions
Directly telling an error
Invite correction or help the student towards a correction.
What kind of error has been made?
Grammatical
Pronunciation
etc.
Testing
What to test?
the students' progress over the course so far (a progress test)
their general level of English, without reference to any course (a proficiency test)
Traditional tests
Two types of questions
discrete item tasks
Can be marked in two ways
objectively
subjectively
Gap-fill
Sentence transformation
Sentence construction and reconstruction
Two-option answers
Matching (pictures, words, sentence pieces, labels, etc)
integrative tasks
number of items or skills tested in the same question)
Three criteria of a good test
It will not be too troublesome to mark.
It will provide clear results that serve the purpose for which it was set.
Seems fair and appropriate to the students.
Assessment
Criteria-based assessment
Aim of progress test
Give encouragement that something is being done well.
Giving marks may not be the most effective way to assess.
Alternative option: assessing if learners
are 'successful' when compared against some 'can do' criteria statements
Point out areas where learners could improve.
Alternative assessment scheme
The candidate meets all main aspects of the criteria.
The candidate meets the criteria in some respects, but with significant problems.
The candidate meets and surpasses the criteria.
The candidate is unable to meet the criteria in any respect.
Using the learner's first language
Students using their L1 instead of L2
fear of failure
it is easier to use their L1
frequent correction from teachers
common problem in monolingual classes
Using English in class
activities that make use of L1
a little teacher translation in explanations
compare layout and style between L1 and English conventions for example in letters
summarizing a reading in L1
creating a nice atmosphere
posters on the walls
motivating student to use English
spend time with fluency without corrections
Mediation
Mediation games
Diplomatic Incident
Translation role-plays
Diplomatic Affairs
English Whispers
ask students to do a task where they have to help someone who does not speak the local language
Cusinaire rods for the "Silent Way" method
clarifying structure
making meaning tangible and being precise about meaning
focusing on grammar by restricting lexis
contextualizing
grammar work
working with lexis
Dictionaries
work with dictionary skills - games for students
anagrams
Where's the stress?
Which word?
dictionary race
guessing spelling
upgrading
alongside reading
explore
Printed dictionaries
bilingual
monolingual
training students to use them
knowing alphabetical order
knowing phonetic script
dictionary work with all kinds of dictionary
selecting between different meanings of a word
making use of collocations
selecting a word that best expresses the meaning you want
checking wheter your spelling of a word is correct
interpreting definitions
finding idiomatic expressions
Printed vs. online dictionaries
online dictionaries can be freely used
printed ones are heavy to carry around and students dislike them
provide students copies at school
Timelines
tools for clarifying time of various verb tenses
timelines are making English grammar more accessible
get students to draw their own timelines
personalise timelines to suit your own approach