Delta Module One Revision Course
Syllabus area 2
Before you tackle this section, you
should have completed the relevant section of the Module One course |
This is quite a long section of the course so you may like to take it one stage at a time.
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The tasksThink first and then make a note of your answer to the question. Click on the to reveal an answer. |
State the three constituents of a methodology according to
Richards and Rodgers. Briefly explain what each one refers to. |
Approach:
This is a set of principles or ideas about the nature of language learning divided into: a) theories of what language is and b) theories of how learning a foreign language happens. Design: The practical implications in the classroom: syllabus design, activities and the roles of teachers and students. Procedure: What we see happening in the classroom when a particular approach and design are implemented. |
What are the
characteristics of a grammar-translation approach? |
Conscious
memorising of grammatical rules
Focusing on the sentence as the unit of study Conscious memorising of lists of lexis with their mother-tongue translations Translating in and out of the target language as practice Reading the literature of the target language |
Who said: The language a person originates ... is always expressed for a purpose. and with which approach is this connected? |
Frisby and Halliday cited in
Richards, J. C, and Rodgers, T. S., 1986, Approaches and Methods in Language
Teaching, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2014: 48)
The Situational Approach. |
What is
structural linguistics? |
The theory that language is primarily spoken and
understandable in terms of increasing level of
complexity: from phonemes, up through morphemes to words,
phrases, clauses and sentences.
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Who said: We have no reason to assume ... that verbal behaviour differs in any fundamental respect from non-verbal behaviour, or that any new principles must be invoked to account for it. What is the implication for language learning? |
Skinner, B. F,
1948, Verbal Behavior (p10)
The implication is that acquiring a second or subsequent language is a matter of forming the right habits. |
Who said: There are rules of use without which the rules of grammar would be useless.? What was meant? |
This is a famous citation from
Hymes, D, 1971, On communicative competence,
in Pride, J & Holmes, J (Eds.), p 278, Sociolinguistics, London: Penguin Books.
It is intended to draw attention to the fact that the ability to form grammatically correct utterances in a language does not signify the ability to communicate effectively. |
Explain what
is meant by: linguistic competence sociolinguistic competence discourse competence strategic competence |
Linguistic competence concerns
knowledge of the grammar, phonology and lexis of the target language.
Sociolinguistic competence concerns knowledge of the rules of speaking – speech events, illocutionary force, address forms etc. Discourse competence involves knowing how to use and respond to different types of speech acts – requests, apologies etc. Strategic competence involves knowing how to use language appropriately – when is it right to perform certain speech acts. |
Explain the
difference between strong and weak forms of a communicative
approach. |
Strong form:
You can only learn a language through the effort to communicate so: No teaching of language forms – no pronunciation teaching, no vocabulary teaching, and definitely no grammar teaching. The classroom is, therefore, the place where people struggle to communicate, get help and guidance and learn through trying. Weak form: The goal of language teaching is communicative competence but all types of teaching and targets are appropriate providing the goal is maintained. |
What is a
language chunk? Give three examples. |
A language chunk is a group of words which are
habitually found together. That definition will
include common collocations such as air-conditioning + unit, dry + stone +
wall, steering + wheel and thousands of others as well as fixed
expressions such as I would like, Do you mind if,
Make the beds, How are you etc.
Lexical chunks are remembered and used as single items. |
What is a
delexicalised verb? Give two examples. |
A delexicalised verb takes its meaning from the chunk in
which it occurs rather than having any identifiable
meaning when standing alone.
Examples are: do | have | get | go | make | put | set | take |
Cite three
criticisms of the Lexical Approach. |
Implementing a lexical approach will produce learners
whose speech is limited to a range of clichés and who
will not have the language to deal with new demands.
The lexical approach ignores the way second languages are actually learned and that is by understanding the nature of grammar and using this competence to produce novel and accurate utterances. Claims for the efficacy of a lexical syllabus are not supported by empirical evidence. A good deal of the theoretical work on a lexical approach is simply re-labelling the already well known. |
What are
Krashen's 5 hypotheses? Briefly explain what is meant by each of them. |
Hypothesis 1: THE ACQUISITION/LEARNING DISTINCTION
distinguishes between learning (a conscious process) and acquisition (a mostly unconscious process). Hypothesis 2: THE MONITOR HYPOTHESIS posits that learners actively monitor their output in a foreign language. To do this they use their learned rather than acquired knowledge. Hypothesis 3: THE NATURAL ORDER HYPOTHESIS asserts that grammatical language morphemes in particular are acquired in a certain order. Hypothesis 4: THE INPUT HYPOTHESIS for optimum effect, the input a learner receives should be a) comprehensible and b) just above the level of the learner. Hypothesis 5: THE AFFECTIVE FILTER HYPOTHESIS states that high levels of stress or low levels of self-esteem will act as inhibitors of the learning-acquisition process. |
State three
claimed advantages of a Task-based Learning approach. |
Multiple language focus
Learners are free to deploy as much language as they need rather than focus on particular structures, lexis and other items. The content is relevant and personalised Each group of students will have their own ways of tackling tasks and their own ideas to input, making language personal. It is learner centred. The teacher's role is reduced and the majority of the time is spent with the learners constructing meaning together. It is suitable for mixed ability groups Groups can be formed which are nearly homogenous in terms of level. Motivation Many students enjoy the practical nature of tasks and the opportunity to use their imaginations and personal skills. |
State three
criticism of a Task-based Learning approach. |
Appropriateness
For certain types of students (those studying for examinations, elementary learners etc.), TBL is often not seen as appropriate. One-size-fits-all Tasks are usually set to whole classes. They may not interest all the students so the advantages of personalisation and motivation are lost. Language form The teaching of language form is problematic. If it comes at the outset, it may not be relevant to what emerges as the task is tackled. If it comes at the end, learners may feel frustrated at only later being taught the language they needed. Input TBL requires learners only to use language they already know so there is no new input to work on. Learner styles The approach appeals in particular to learners whose preferred style involves being active and getting things done. More reflective, more form-focused and less confident learners may not benefit. Learning It is not clear in many TBL lessons that real learning of new language is taking place. Practice is happening; learning is not. |
Why does the
teacher maintain silence in the Silent Way? |
The main reason for this is to devolve as much autonomy
and decision making as possible to the learners.
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What is the
teacher's role in Total Physical Response lessons? |
The teacher takes on the role of a parent teaching a child, using
commands to force learners to perform acts based on the language she/he
uses.
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What is the
teacher's role in Community Language Learning lessons? |
The teacher takes on the role of a counsellor or
'knower' whose responsibility it is to help the learners
perceive their strengths, weaknesses and needs for the
target language.
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There is
usually a three-step procedure in Suggestopedia lessons. What are the steps? |
1: The language is introduced to the accompaniment of
the music in a relaxing and unthreatening manner.
2: The learners are free to use the material spontaneously, to 'elaborate', to sing and play while the teacher guides and consults. 3: Further elaboration: the learners speak freely in the target language. |
What are the
main characteristics of the Dogme approach? |
Absence of published materials
A Dogme approach abjures the use of published materials and the importation of technology so a Dogme lesson may have no materials at all. Planning Only the general outlines of a lesson can be planned because learning is seen to happen in conversation and the focus is on what emerges naturally from the learners. Procedures The teacher's role will vary from equal listener and participant to short periods of more recognisable teaching focused on language issues that have emerged from the conversation. |
There are two
types of noticing. What are they? |
Noticing the language:
Identifying aspects of the language to which you are attending. Noticing the gap: Identifying the differences between what you hear or read and what you produce. |
If you had significant problems doing these tasks, you should go back to this section of the Module One course.
That's the end |
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