Friday, March 15, 2013
DISCLAIMER: Read First! before continuing
Rather, the purpose of this blog is to demonstrate examples and to give an idea of how to answer. You should still read the lesson modules and attempt to answer all questions by yourself.
Unit 1
UNIT 1 WORKSHEET
Task 1 – List 5
qualities that a ‘good’ teacher should have and give reasons for your choices.
Which of these qualities do you consider to be more important, and why?
A
"good" teacher should have an extensive comprehension of the subject
so that they could be a reliable resource for students. Students will rely on
the teacher for accurate information and knowledge. If you yourself do not know
the correct answer, how does one expect the students to know the answer? The
knowledge that you teach the pupils must be valid and certain in order to be
applicable. Sometimes, the teacher may be the only available source of
information about that specific subject. If the students discover that your
teachings are inaccurate, it would lessen the validity of your teachings and
the rapport you had built so far. Also, an extensive knowledge of the subject
leads to more innovate ways of teaching and more applications of that subject
in the real world.
A
"good" teacher should be flexible and able to adjust quickly.
Sometimes, lessons do not always go as planned. An instructor could be very
well prepared and have back-up lessons, but he/she can not foresee everything
that could possible go wrong. Flexibility and the ability to improvise are
essential for moments like those. In addition, you need flexibility in general
in order to adapt and acclimate to your novel surroundings in a foreign
country. The culture and customs are different from what you are used to, and
this applies to the classroom settings. The students' beliefs and thinking
processes may differ tremendously, and the instructor must take that in
consideration.
A
"good" teacher should be patient and compassionate. Every student is
unique and may learn at a different pace than their fellow peers. This may
require the teacher to explain concepts over and over again or taking
additional time to show the process of solving a problem. As long as you
contribute the time and effort to do so, it demonstrates compassion and faith
in the students. The student will not feel rushed or deficient for taking more
time than the allotted time. As a result, a rapport between the teacher and the
students begin to develop.
A
"good" teacher should be extremely engaging and make the classes
interactive and interesting. This attribute is probably one of the most
significant traits a teacher should possess since it facilitates the process of
teaching and learning the materials. When the class is entertaining, students
find it easier to discover applications of the subject. Consequently, it
provides ample motivation for the students to learn, and it prospers a desire
in the students to educate themselves. By relating the materials to the
students on a personal level, everyone is equally active and involved in the
class when the course is actually interactive.
A
"good" teacher should enjoy teaching. Why teach at all if you do are
not enraptured with the prospect of teaching? Is teaching worth it if you don't
enjoy it? Students are aware when a teacher does not want to be at school
teaching. As a result, both the teacher and the students endure a terrible
experience with academics. This is probably an important trait the teacher
should have. No matter how patient, flexible, or well-versed a teacher is,
those traits do not matter if there is no love of teaching.
Task 2 – State
what you consider to be the five most important roles of a teacher. Describe
each role and say why you think it is important.
Teacher as
a model/mentor: The obligations includes being available to provide feedback and advice. Students look up to
teachers for not just only academic advice, but also life counseling. They
follow the teacher's examples and depend on your teachings. A teacher's duty as
a model is to enlighten the class with your expertise and knowledge. In
specific countries, the class may solely depend on the instructor for their
knowledge in English because they may not encounter other native English
speakers frequently. In that situation, they can only learn English to the
extent of your personal knowledge; and therefore, the students benefit
tremendously by learning from an authentic native English speaker. That is why
this role is crucial as a teacher.
Teacher as an observer/monitor: As
an observer, the teacher takes either mental or written notes about his/her
students. The teacher needs to be observant of his/her surroundings and know
the location of the supplies as well. Once the preparations and observations
are completed, the teacher should make the necessary adjustments to ameliorate
the environment where the students will learn and to suit the students’
individual needs.
Teacher as an organizer: Fulfilling
as this role requires the teacher to prepare the class beforehand by creating
lesson plans, obtaining the necessary materials for class, giving instructions,
and planning daily activities. In addition, this role includes managing and organizing
grades, feedback, and assessment scales. This role is essential for teaching because
preparation is the key to providing an exceptional education for the students. If
an instructor is unkempt and unprepared ahead of time, then it is difficult to
teach unorganized, and the teacher wastes valuable time with unnecessary
actions. Classes would be very discombobulated if students had no prior
instructions or guidance.
Teacher as a tutor: A tutor provides
more exclusive attention and guidance to a few students at a time. It is more
personal and mostly conducted one-on-one or a pair. It is important because it
builds the foundation to create a rapport with the students and shows that the
teacher is open and approachable. Students may need more concentrated attention
since each student is a unique individual with different needs. They may need guidance
in different focus of subjects. However, you should try to avoid enabling the
student or spending too much focus on just one particular student. Instead, the
teacher should distribute his/her attention and time equally among all the
students.
Teacher as prompter: A teacher
acting as a prompter helps the student arrive at the correct answer without
giving the actual answer. He/she just facilitates the thinking process and
encourages the student to continue to try to find a solution. Prompting includes
motivating the student to consider different aspects of a problem in order to
come up with an innovative solution. Different students require different types
and different amount of prompting. The student should be inspired to try to
think of versatile solutions first before quitting rather than just
spoon-feeding the answer.
Task 3 – List 5
qualities you would expect to find in a ‘good’ learner. Which of these
qualities do you consider to be more important, and why?
A “good” learner should be committed and
dedicated to earning an education and completing what they started. Another quality
should include being an attentive listener; otherwise your teachings fall on
deaf ears. Listening does not just mean hearing the speaker but actually pay
attention to the speaker. The learner will learn something that they may find
interesting or useful. If the instructor is willing to dedicate the effort and
time to teach the learner, the students should be willing to reciprocate the
same effort and time. A “good” learner should also think in innovate and
creative ways and consider different viewpoints of a problem. This exemplifies
that the learner is original and can think quickly.
More importantly, a “good” learner should
have the desire to learn and broaden their horizon. It would be ideal if the
learner already possessed the self-discipline and motivation to learn but the
teacher also should foster a love of learning and inspire the student to continuously
get an education. The most pivotal attribute a learner should have is the
willingness to err and ask questions. As humans, we are bound to make mistakes
since we are not perfect. Instead of being embarrassed by our mistakes, we
should apply ourselves and learn from them. If we truly learn the lesson, then
we should not repeat the same mistake twice. A learner who does not ask
questions can not make significant progress in his/her academics. A good
learner should not be afraid to venture forth because that is the only way to
gain experience and expand his/her knowledge of the subject. If a learner uses
his/her errors constructively, then it could prove to be very beneficial for
the learner.
Task 4 – What are
some of the major differences you would expect to find between adult and young
learners?
Young learners tend to have a
shorter attention span, which makes it more difficult for them to retain
information. Adult learners possess the cognitive skills to maintain a longer
attention span, which contributes to the lack of behavioral and discipline
issues. Another crucial difference is that adult learners are more
self-motivated about their education because they made the conscientious decision
to learn while young learners may have not really chosen to do so. For this
reason, younger students may not be as accepting or understanding in the
beginning. However, as long as the teacher encourages them to continue, then
they will be excited and more than willing to learn.
Adult learners may be more
self-conscious and nervous about speaking or experimenting with English because
they are anxious about losing face and embarrassing themselves in front of the
whole class. They hesitate to try out novel grammar structures and to practice
speaking English. This hesitation could hinder their progress in learning, so
it is vital to encourage them to experiment and try new things. Young learners
are not as hesitant to make errors while exploring the new materials. In fact,
they have a more open-minded approach to new learning methods and processes
since they hardly have any experience in English. They are more receptive and
able to absorb language quicker than adults because they start afresh and still
are learning their native tongue. On the other hand, adult learners are more
fixed on how they learn and often try to relate English with their native
tongue. They do not adapt as well to new teaching styles because they have a
long history of both learning and life experiences. However, because they have
a long list of life experience, they have broader options of discussion topics that
they can talk about, which makes the lessons more enjoying and versatile.
Task 5 – List the
levels of language ability that learners are often grouped into and give a
brief summation of each level:
At the beginner level, the learners
have no or little experience with English. If they do have knowledge of
English, they have a very rudimentary knowledge. English grammar and
comprehension is practically nonexistent. Teaching at this level is relies
heavily on visual hand-on activities.
Learners at the elementary level can produce simple sentences and use very
basic grammar structures. They can discuss about simple topics for a short
period of time. They may be able to do introductions and talk about the weather
or family.
Pre-intermediate level includes being able to communicate on more diverse
topics but still making many flaws in their sentences. The fluency might have
improved a little but still sounds awkward.
During the intermediate level, the learner should be able to discuss about
numerous topics with an improvement in vocabulary. However, fluency, accuracy,
and idioms may still be flawed.
Upper intermediate level learners
should be able to form more complex sentences and talk about more complicated
topics. Their grammar should be near impeccable and be able to keep the flow of
conservation. At this point, the teacher should be very fastidious with even
small grammar mistakes.
The last level, advanced level,
should be achieved when learners have a profound knowledge of English. Their
vocabulary should be more mature and intricate. They should be able to discuss
topics in almost every situation and should start comprehending more subtle
text, such as idioms and jargon.
Task 6 – Give as
many reasons as possible why students are motivated to study English. The
reasons that you give do not have to be in the unit reading material.
English would be a tremendous help
for your career since English is vital for any type of business now these days.
It may be a required course for your
school in order to graduate. Many schools demand their students take English.
It would be a great asset if you
planned on either traveling/living abroad in an English-speaking country. It
would help with acculturating and adapting in that country.
Some people may know a person who
only speaks English and want to communicate with them.
Some people have a general
linguistic interest and transform the process of learning English into a hobby.
It would make sense that an aficionado of foreign languages would learn English
since it is the most popular language in the world.
Some people learn English to better
themselves as human beings by pursuing any type of knowledge just for the sake
of enlightenment.
Once you learn English, you can
learn more about the English-speaking countries and understand their culture,
their arts, beliefs, popular music, daily life, and customs. By contrasting and
comparing your culture to the cultures of those English-speaking countries, you
can better understand your own country at a more profound level. This helps
broaden your horizons, therefore making you an open-minded person with much
life experience.
Unit 2
UNIT 2 WORKSHEET
Task 1 - Write
5 examples of each of the following:
Uncountable noun: freedom, air, knowledge, hatred, hunger
Adjective: big, hurtful, red, sick, hot
Adverb: quickly, lastly, never, wistfully, well
Preposition: on, at, under, over, through
Verb: dive, contemplate, analyze, submerge, divide
Pronoun: I, we, her, its, them
Infinitive: to sing, to wish, to stop, to collect, to
pack
Gerund: climbing, biking, planning, cleaning, smoking
Comparative
adjective: slower, colder, greater,
thinner, darker
Superlative
adjective: smartest, closest, warmest,
sharpest, widest
Article (3 only): the, an, a
Conjunction: and, but, yet, so, or
Task 2 –
Identify the parts of speech in the following sentence:
I usually go
swimming with my best friend and his rather unusual girlfriend.
a) I-
personal pronoun
b) usually- adverb (frequency)
c) go- action verb
d) swimming- gerund
e) with- preposition
f) my- possessive adjective
g) best- adjective
h) friend- common noun
i) and- conjunction
j) his- possessive adjective
k) rather- adverb
l) unusual- adjective
m) girlfriend- common noun
Task 3 – State
the differences between the following, and give an example of each:
a)
Adjectives and adverbs
` Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns
while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adjectives describe
the appearance of the noun/pronoun, and adverbs describe the manner and quality
of an action. Adjectives are simply descriptions of an object. Adverbs are used
to describe the manner in which the action was done.
Example: The happy man sang a song.
Happy is an adjective because it describes the man.
The man sang a song happily.
Happily is an adverb because it describes the way he sang the song.
b)
Nouns and pronouns
A noun
is a person, place, thing, or idea while a pronoun is a word that replaces that
same noun. Pronouns are used to refer to specific nouns in a more general
sense. Pronouns help reduce redundancy in speech.
Example: John left to go meet Anna.
John and Anna are common nouns that refer to 2 specific people.
He met her at the store. He
and her are pronouns because the sentence doesn’t specifically mention John or
Anna but the reader knows who he and her refer to.
Task 4 –
Explain the following parts of speech as you would to a student. An example
sentence would help to clarify your explanation:
a)
Conjunctions – Conjunctions can
combine sentence clauses to make a one sentence or join words of the same parts
of speech (verbs with verbs, nouns with nouns). Its function is to connect things
so that the sentences flow smoothly.
Example: I like pizza. I like ice cream. Ã I like
pizza and ice cream. “And” combined two similar sentences into one
sentence by joining the two nouns together.
b)
Gerunds – When you use a verb as a noun by
adding –ing to the end of the verb, that is called a gerund. It is different
from the present participle because it becomes a noun and is no longer a verb.
Its function is to transform a verb into a noun.
Example: She is running everyday.
Running in this sentence is a verb because it is an action, something she does.
Running
everyday is good for your health. This sentence uses running as the topic of
focus, therefore a noun.
c)
Verbs – Verbs are words that depict
actions/states of being. Anything that you do physically/mentally is a verb.
Example: I can jump, swim, and run
all day. All of these words are something you can physically do and see other
people do.
d)
Comparative adjectives – Adjectives that compare one specific
quality between two nouns are called comparative adjectives. They usually are
denoted either with –er or the word “more.”
Example: Jean is wiser than Carl. The
Siamese cat is more beautiful than tabby cat.
e)
Prepositions – Prepositions are words that are
placed in front of nouns/pronouns to relate those nouns to another part of the
sentence. Its function is to form a relationship between the noun and another
part of speech group. Basically, think of a rabbit and a fence. Anything the
rabbit can go with the fence is a preposition.
Example: The rabbit ran over the fence.
The
rabbit ran through the fence.
The
rabbit ran by the fence.
The
rabbit ran under the fence.
The
rabbit ran near the fence.
f)
Superlative adjectives – Adjectives that compare one specific
quality between three or more nouns are called superlative adjectives. The
difference between superlative and comparative is the context in which the
sentence is used. Superlative adjectives do comparisons between more nouns than
comparative. They usually are denoted with either –est or the word “most.”
Example: Out of the whole class, Sam is the tallest.
Peppers are the spiciest food in the world. Elizabeth is the most
intelligent among all the daughters.
Task 5 – What
do articles do in a sentence? Give examples of your own.
Articles are placed in front of nouns to indicate
the type of reference of the noun that is used in the sentence. Its function is to specify which noun is
being referred to. There are two types of articles: definite (the) and
indefinite (a, an).
Example: Joe has a football. The “a” article in this
sentence refers to no specific football. It could be any football and doesn’t
specify which football exactly.
The football
Joe has is expensive. The article in this sentence refers specifically to Joe’s
football and no other football.
Unit 3
UNIT 3 WORKSHEET
Task 1 – Based on your understanding of the unit, which four
teaching methods do you think have most influenced current TEFL practice? Give
a brief summary of each and give reason(s) for your choice.
1)
Grammar-Translation: The main idea
behind this teaching method is incorporating the student’s native language with
English. The teacher tries to find equivalents between the two languages and
relate English to the student’s language. It is fundamental to TEFL practices
because it provides the basic building blocks for learning a foreign language
and makes it easily accessible for the students. However, students may not
learn the actual language itself, but rather just the similarities between the
languages. In addition, not only does the instructor have to be knowledgeable
about the student’s native language, but also sometimes there may not be an
equivalent to English. For example, Japanese and Korean sentence structures
differ greatly from English. Nevertheless, it is a great starting block.
2)
Task-Based Learning: In this teaching
method, the student learns the language through various activities. The teacher
assigns the work that will aid the student in his/her acquisition of a foreign
language. When the student completes the task, the teacher can then provide the
necessary feedback and encourage the student to try to correct his/her
mistakes. The teachers should refrain from correcting all of the errors so that
the pupils have an opportunity to identify and correct their own mistakes while
learning from them. When the students correct their own mistakes, they become
more conscious of those types of errors. Additionally, teaching by assigning
tasks also helps make the materials more relevant and entertaining since it is
more hand-on. Task-based learning is an interactive approach that has greatly
influenced TEFL practices.
3)
Communicative Language Teaching: This
teaching method emphasizes language function and situation. Most activities
using this method rely on real-life situations, so role-play and dialogue
practices are popular activities for this teaching method. By exposing the
students to the foreign language frequently and utilizing the language in the
students’ everyday speech, the students will naturally acquire the novel
language. The various applications that this teaching method has in the real
world facilitate the acquisition of the foreign language hereby, making it a
significant contribution to current TEFL practices.
4)
Presentation, Practice, and Production: In
this teaching method, the instructor introduces the language situation first
through various activities, such as drilling, creating sentences, or
memorization. The students then practice the new materials while the instructor
supervises their practice. The production stage allows the students to use
their creativity to apply the foreign language in real-world situations. By
allowing the students to express themselves innovatively, the materials become
more personal and recalls easier. This method provides an interesting way for
students to be more interactive with their studies.
Task 2 – State five ‘engage’, five ‘study’ and five ‘activate’
stage activities (also give the probable language level of the students):
Engage – 1) Play “I Spy” using the
rhyming words with pre-intermediate language level students.
2) Anagrams could be used for
elementary language level students.
3) One word linking stories would
be ideal for intermediate language level students.
4) Play fizz-buzz with elementary
language level students.
5) Student self-introductions are
useful for any language level.
Study – 1) Hangman is a good game
to develop spelling skills for pre-intermediate/ intermediate language level
students.
2) Tongue twisters would be a good
exercise for upper intermediate language level students.
3) Word search could be used for
elementary language level students.
4) Doing language drills would be
ideal for beginners and elementary language level students.
5) Gap fills would help
pre-intermediate language level students.
Activate – 1) Elementary to
intermediate language level students can conduct surveys for an activity.
2) Group debates would be helpful
to upper intermediate and advance language level students.
3) Role play would be an
interactive way to learn for pre-intermediate/intermediate language level
students.
4) Producing their own TV ad for a
made-up product would be entertaining for intermediate and upper intermediate
language level students.
5) Writing and performing short
skits would allow advance language level students to apply all their vocabulary
and grammar skills.
Task 3 – Structure an ESA (straight arrow pattern) based
lesson for an elementary level class in which the learners would learn the
vocabulary of clothes and be able to use it when describing what people wear
and are wearing:
Engage: The instructor points and labels various clothing
articles that he/she is wearing and asks the students if anyone else is wearing
the same piece of clothing. The teacher can expand by describing the clothing
article by stating colors and numerous adjectives or even doing comparisons.
Study: The teacher gives every student a handout that has
them matching a picture of a piece of clothing to its correct English name.
Then the instructor would go over the answers and direct the attention of the
students to different examples of people wearing various clothing articles. The
instructor will then have the students describe what that person is wearing.
The teacher makes sure the sentences are grammatically correct and the students
are using the right vocabulary.
Activate: The teacher will have students split into small
groups and decide who will be “model.” Then, from a pile of various clothing
articles, the students will proceed to dress their model with scarves, jackets,
accessories, and other various clothing. Then each group will have to describe
what they dressed their model in. For entertainment purposes, the class could
become a fashion show.
Task 4 – Structure an ESA (boomerang pattern) based lesson
for a pre-intermediate class, teaching language commonly used for shopping, so
that students can ask for, find the price for and purchase everyday food and
clothing items:
Engage: Have the teacher start a one-word linking story with
this phrase: “One day, I went to the mall/ (grocery) store and bought:” and
have every student come with up one item that they could purchase at the mall/
(grocery) store.
Activate 1: Students role-play out a shopping scene. One
student can be the cashier while the other student can be the customer. The
teacher should allot time for everyone to plan their dialogue and keep notes of
common mistakes.
Study: When the activate 1 stage is completed, the teacher
reviews the mistakes and the key phrases. The instructor works with the
students and provides feedback. The students would then incorporate the new
vocabulary and language points into their role-play.
Activate 2: The students role-play the same scene again,
using the corrections made during the study stage.
Task 5 – How, what and when would you correct
mistakes/errors made during the following stages:
Engage stage – The teacher should try to refrain from
correcting any mistakes during this stage because the focus of this stage is to
have the students practice and speak the new material. Instead, the teacher
should take notes of prominent mistakes that the students made and discuss some
of these mistakes during the study phase.
Study stage – The teacher should make most of his/her
corrections during this stage because the students are learning a new language
point, so fluency and accuracy is the main focus of this stage. It is
especially vital for the teacher to correct mistakes/errors when the mistakes
are relevant to the language point and impedes understanding of this language
point. Also, if a student repeats the same error continuously to the point that
it becomes ingrained, it is very important to correct those errors as well. The
teacher should make the necessary corrections at the end of activities, so
he/she does not affect the flow. Also, the teacher should make sure that the
students are listening to the feedback and not trying to finish their work.
Before the teacher makes the corrections, he/she should give the students an
opportunity to let them correct it first.
Activate stage – Correcting should be kept to a minimum
during this stage but it does require feedback. The focus of this stage is
communication and making sure the students understood the lesson. Teachers
should monitor the classroom carefully and make corrections as needed. When the
teacher has to correct a mistake/error, he/she should correct it after the
activity, so he/she does not interrupt the flow of the class. The teacher wants
to make sure that all errors/mistakes have been discussed before moving onto
the next lesson.
Task 6 – Create or find a short sample piece of writing that
a student might produce containing at least five of the errors mentioned in the
page 23 table, and annotate the text using the codes in the table.
(Here is an example of how a student may write “Fred went to
London with Jenny last week” and how you should correct it: Fred has gone(t) to l(p)ondon with ^ last week.)
In w(p)ashington [d^c^](p), [me(s/p) and my friends](wo) saw
the White House. Than(na) we was(t) hungry and wanted diner(s).
I asked, “w(p)here should we eat(p)” Everyone want(t)
to eat at there(na) favorite restaraunt(s).
It was still a fun day.
Corrected: In Washington D.C., my friends and I saw the White
House. Then we were hungry and wanted dinner. I asked, “Where should we eat?”
Everyone wanted to eat at their favorite restaurant. It was still a fun day.
Unit 4
UNIT 4 WORKSHEET
Task 1 – Complete the chart below with the present simple
tense, using the verb ‘go’:
|
PERSON
|
POSITIVE
|
QUESTION
|
NEGATIVE
|
|
I
you
he/she/it
|
I go
You go
He/She/It goes
|
Do I go?
Do you go?
Does he/she/it go?
|
I don’t go
You don’t go
He/She/It doesn’t
go
|
|
we
you
they
|
We go
You go
They go
|
Do we go?
Do you go?
Do they go?
|
We don’t go
You don’t go
They don’t go
|
Task 2 – Identify the following tenses, and give reasons for
the identification:
a) I have never met anybody famous.
Present perfect because it is talking about something which
began in the past and is still true now. However, the state of the action could
change. It relates the past to the present. The speaker has never met anyone
famous in the past and has yet to do so currently. Also, the sentence matches the
form of the present perfect: subject + auxiliary verb “have” + past participle.
b) John is having a shower at the moment.
Present continuous because it describes an action that is in
progress at the time of speaking. John is currently in middle of a shower.
Also, the sentence fits the form of the present continuous: subject + auxiliary
verb “be” + verb + ing.
c) I go shopping at least twice a week.
Present simple because the sentence is used to describe a
habitual/routine action. Also, the sentence matches the form of the present
simple: subject + base form (+s/es).
d) I have been working here for 10 years.
Present perfect continuous because it expresses an incomplete
and ongoing activity. This person has been working at the same company and is
likely to continue to doing so. The sentence matches the form of the present
perfect continuous: subject + auxiliary verb “have” + been + verb + ing.
Task 3 – State as many usages as possible of the present
tenses with an example sentence for each (not a sentence from the unit!). One
of the usages for the present simple, with an example sentence, has been done
for you. Bear in mind that there are more:
a) Present simple
1. facts and permanent situations – The sun sets in the
west.
2. habitual or routine actions- The teacher drinks her
coffee everyday before class starts.
3. commentaries- He fakes left, circles around Mendez and
shoots!
4. directions and instructions- Close the door when you
leave the room.
5. newspaper headlines- Girl saves little brother from
horrible accident.
6. present stories- So I enter the room when this lady comes
out of the closet with a bat.
b) Present continuous
1. to talk about an action that is in progress at the time
of speaking- I can’t talk right now. I’m working.
2. to talk about a temporary action that is not necessarily
in progress at the time of speaking- She’s taking classes for her CPR
certification this week.
3. to emphasize very frequent actions- Todd is always
talking about his dog.
4. background events in a present story- Mother’s cooking in
the kitchen while father’s watching the news.
5. to describe developing situations- The temperature is
increasing quickly.
6. to refer to a regular action around a point of time-
She’s usually talking with her boyfriend after school.
c) Present perfect
1. to talk about finished actions/states that happened at an
indefinite time. It refers to general experience without specific detail- They
have seen the Eiffel tower.
2. to think about completed past actions carried out in an
unfinished time period at the time of speaking- I’ve written eight pages this
morning.
3. to talk about something which began in the past and is
still true now, at the time of speaking-He’s been teaching math at Hunter
Elementary for 30 years.
4. to describe past actions with present results- John
hasn’t finished his homework yet.
d) Present perfect continuous
1. to communicate an incomplete and ongoing activity, when
we want to say how long it has continued- She’s been waiting for her child’s return
for 40 years.
2. to describe a recently finished, uninterrupted activity
which has a present result- You’re going to need time to adjust to walking
since you’ve been wearing a cast the last 8 months.
Task 4 – State how the tenses below are formed grammatically. Explain positive, negative and question forms:
a) Present simple
-Affirmative: subject + base form of verb. For third person
singular (he/she/it), you make the verb plural. For most verbs, just add –s to
the base form of the verb. For verbs ending in a consonant plus y, change the y
to i and add –es. For verbs ending in o, s, z, x, ch, and sh, add –es.
-Negative: subject + auxiliary verb “do” + not + base form
of verb. For third person singular (he/she/it), you turn the “do not” into
“does not.”
-Question: auxiliary verb “do” + subject + base form of
verb? For third person singular (he/she/it), you turn the “do” into “does.”
b) Present continuous
-Affirmative: subject + auxiliary verb “be” + verb + ing
(progressive form of verb).
-Negative: subject + auxiliary verb “be” + not + verb + ing
(progressive form of verb).
-Question: auxiliary verb “be” + subject + verb + ing
(progressive form of verb)? For the question form, there is no contracted form.
The auxiliary verb “be” is conjugated like so: [I am] [You
are] [He/she/it is] [We are] [They are]
c) Present perfect
-Affirmative: subject + auxiliary verb “have” + past
participle of verb.
-Negative: subject + auxiliary verb “have” + not + past
participle of verb.
-Question: auxiliary verb “have” + subject + past participle
of verb? For the question form, there is no contracted form.
The auxiliary verb “have” is conjugated like so: [I have]
[You have] [He/she/it has] [We have] [They have]
In order to conjugate most verbs into the past participle
form, add –ed to the verb. However, there are irregular verbs that can only be
memorized.
d) Present perfect continuous
It is similar to the present perfect form but you add “been”
after the auxiliary verb “have” and use the progressive form of the verb.
-Affirmative: subject + auxiliary verb “have” + been + verb
+ ing.
-Negative: subject + auxiliary verb “have” + not + been +
verb + ing.
-Question: auxiliary verb “have” + subject + been + verb +
ing? For the question form, there is no contracted form.
The auxiliary verb “have” is conjugated like so: [I have]
[You have] [He/she/it has] [We have] [They have]
Task 5 – Consider the following student errors. After each
error, state:
i) What the
mistake is.
ii) Why you
think it has been made.
iii) How
you would explain and correct the mistake with a student.
a) I am a secretary for five years.
i) It is in the present simple form when it should be in the
present perfect form. The sentence should read: I have been a secretary for
five years. The verb is “be” so the past participle for be is been.
ii) The student probably made the mistake because the person
may still be a secretary even now, and the student wanted to describe his/her
position as a secretary as of now. So since it is in the present, the student
thought to use present simple.
iii) I would explain that the present perfect form relates
the past to the present, and we use it to talk about something which began in
the past and is still true now. The present simple form only is used to
describe things that happened now in the present. You want to specifically
mention the five years in the past that you have been a secretary. If you
didn’t have that part, then you could just say I am a secretary.
b) I have eat breakfast.
i) The mistake here is that the student forgot to use the
past participle form of the verb “eat.” The sentence should read: I have eaten
breakfast.
ii) Since eat is a verb that conjugates irregularly into the
past participle, the student may have not known how to conjugate it properly or
did not even realize that it needed to be conjugated. So he/she decided to just
leave it in the base form.
iii) I would explain that the present perfect form is the
subject (I) + auxiliary verb have + past participle. Eat is an irregular verb
when it comes to conjugating it into the past participle form. Eat becomes
eaten in the past participle form. Then I would give more examples of irregular
verbs and review some of them.
c) She’s liked him since six months.
i) Instead of since, for would be grammatically correct because
it refers to a general period of time, not a specific point of time. The
sentence should read: She’s liked him for six months.
ii) For and since both refers to doing an action for an
amount of time, so students may think that they are interchangeable. It is
difficult to distinguish the difference between for and since.
iii) I would explain the difference between for and since. For
is used with periods of time, and since is used with points of time. If it
specific, you want to use since. If it’s more general and vague, then use for.
And then give example sentences: I’ve been asleep for 8 hours (how long/ how
many hours) versus I’ve been asleep since 8:00 (since when/ what time).
d) When you start work?
i)
Since this is the present simple form, and it is in the
form of a question, there should be a “do” in front of the subject. The
sentence should read: When do you start work?
ii) The student may not have been aware that you have to add
the auxiliary verb “do” when it is in question form. He/she might have assumed
that “when” took the place of “do” as the question word, so “do” was
unnecessary.
iii) I would go over the present simple form again and
review the affirmative, negative, and question form. Then I would try to allow
the student to see if he/she could see what was missing.
e) I’ve been knowing her for three months.
i) The present perfect continuous form cannot use verbs that
don’t take the continuous form, such as like, prefer, believe, and know. It
should be in the present perfect form, not the present perfect continuous form.
The sentence should read: I’ve known her for three months.
ii) One of the usages for present perfect continuous form is
to describe an incomplete and ongoing activity that they are still continuing
to do so. Since you can’t stop knowing a person, the student might have thought
that you need to use the present perfect continuous form.
iii) I would explain that in order to use the present
perfect continuous form, you cannot use certain verbs that don’t take the
continuous form. I would categorize some of the verbs into mental/emotional
state verbs (want, hate, realize), communication verbs (agree, promise, deny),
sense verbs (feel, seem, appear), and others. Under each category, we would go
over a couple of examples.
Task 6 – Give at least 2 teaching ideas (suitable for the Activate
stage of a lesson) for the tenses below and give examples of sentences that you
would expect your students to produce:
a) Present simple: 1. Guess my profession using 20
Questions. A student chooses a profession and has the students try to guess
what it is by having them ask yes/no questions. For example, “Do you travel a
lot for your job?” “Do you work mostly at night?”
2. Conduct a classroom survey. Have the students come up
with at least 5 questions to ask about daily life and have them report their
results. “Do you have any siblings?” “How many hours do you study every day?”
“How often do you go to the movies?”
3. Information-gap- students are given maps with different
information and must give directions on how to get to a particular location.
b) Present continuous: 1. Miming is a great activity where
the students have to guess what the action is. For example, the students could
guess, “You’re running,” or “You’re fishing at a lake.”
2. The students could interview each other about their daily
habits/routine and report it to the class. They could ask questions like: “What
are you usually doing after school?” or “What else are you doing while you’re
doing homework?” The students can answer, “I’m always resting after school,” or
“I’m usually watching T.V. while I’m doing my homework.”
c) Present perfect: 1. Students can do role-play and act out
a job interview. Some of the questions asked could be: “Have you ever lost any
important papers?” or “Have you ever worked at a retail store before?” “How
have you interacted with fellow employees?”
2. Have three/four
people leave the room while you change the room and have them come back in and
guess what’s been changed. “Have you added more posters?” or “Have you moved
the chairs?”
d) Present perfect continuous: 1. A student takes a piece of
paper that has a past activity and a related result written on it. You’ve been showering. - You’re wet and your
hair smells like clean. Or You’ve
been jogging. - You’re sweaty and breathing hard. The student then tells
the result and the others try to guess what the activity is. I’m wet. - Have you been swimming?
2. Class survey on who’s been doing what the longest. The
survey could have questions, such as “How have you been living in this
country?” or “How long have you been learning English?” or “When did you start
working at your company?”
Unit 5
UNIT 5 WORKSHEET
When answering the tasks here please refer to any
experience you have had in the classroom, or experiences you have noted while
observing another teacher, as either a student or onlooker.
Task 1 –How can a teacher use his/her physical presence and
voice in the classroom?
A teacher
can utilize his/her physical presence to get the students’ attention or restore
order in the classroom. For example, good eye contact can convey messages and
build a strong rapport with the students. Eye contact shows the students you
are giving your attention to them, and they should be attentive as well. Also,
various gestures could be used to add visual cues and covey the tacit meanings
of the language. However, gestures should only be used if the meanings of those
gestures are understood ahead of time.
The
teacher’s voice is another useful tool to apply in the classroom if used
correctly. Clarity, range, variety, and projection are important aspects of
voice that the teacher should keep in mind. The flow of the class can be influenced
by the teacher’s volume since the students follow the teacher’s pace. Quieting
and increasing voice levels can change the ambiance and pace of the class. The
teacher should alter his/her voice according to the circumstances, such as size
of room or number of students. However, the instructor should never be monotone
since it creates boredom. The greater the variations of the voice, the more
attentive students are.
Task 2 – Is there a best seating arrangement for a
class? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of the various seating plans?
No, each
seating arrangement is ideal for different situations and should be adjusted accordingly
to different factors, such as space availability and students’ personality.
1)
Orderly rows: The most traditional style of seating
arrangements, orderly rows is best suited for large classes of 25 or more
students. Not only can the teacher have a clear view of all the students, the
students can see him/her as well. This makes lecturing and maintaining eye
contact simpler. Also, it allowed the teacher easy accessibility to move around
the room freely and check on each student’s progress. However, it reduces the
amount of student interaction since the student will usually just interact with
his/her neighbors around him/her.
2)
Circles and horseshoes: Mostly used in smaller classes,
this seating arrangement facilitates pair work and allows students to have eye
contact with the teacher and other pupils. It produces a more intimate and relaxing
ambiance in the class. The teacher’s position is less dominating, which allows
students to be more focused on the lesson. On the other hand, the teacher’s
mobility is reduced and must stay in one position to teach since the students
are all facing one direction.
3)
Separate tables: This seating arrangement is great for
group work because the instructor can help one table while the other groups
work without interruption. Since the students are placed at a small table
together, the class becomes more informal. This can cause discipline problems
because they feel that they are in their own group and not a part of the class
as a whole. Also, since the teacher won’t be able to keep eye contact with all
the students at once, some students may feel like they can do whatever they
want.
Task 3 – List the different student groupings that a teacher
can use and give advantages and disadvantages for each:
1)
Whole-class grouping: Students feel a sense of
belonging with other, and it promotes camaraderie since it gives students the
opportunity to interact with their fellow peers. Organization of the activity
is quick and easy to manage. It is the ideal grouping for when the teacher
needs the focus of the entire class or needs to be mainly in control of the
activity. However, it’s harder to ensure that every student gets an equal
amount of talking time since it reduces the chances for a student to speak.
Furthermore, the more introverted students may be more unwilling to speak since
they do not wish to do so in front of the class.
2)
Students working on their own: There is less pressure
on the students since they can work at their own pace and do not have to contribute
in front of the class. Also, students don’t have to worry about making mistakes
publicly, thereby encouraging them to become more independent by solving
problems on their own first. In general, it provides a stress-free environment
for the students to learn in while providing an ideal setting for the teacher
to respond to individual differences among the students’ learning process.
However, it limits the opportunities for the students to interact among one
another and gain that sense of belonging.
3)
Pair work: It is the ideal setting to allow the
students to interact with their fellow peers and have student talking time.
Since it is quick and easy to organize, the teacher can distribute his/her time
equally between every pair and not disturb the other pairs. It encourages
students to share the responsibility of the work and removes the burden from
the individual, especially from the weaker students. However, some students may
prefer to only speak with the instructor and hesitate to interact with other students,
especially with students they particularly don’t like. In addition, it is
harder for the teacher to keep an eye on the whole class in general if she/he
is diverting her/his attention to one pair at a time.
4)
Group work: This grouping is good for increasing both
student talking time and student interaction. Since there are more students
working in a group, personal issues become less problematic and the dynamic of
the group is more equal. With more heads thinking together, they can come up
with more innovative ideas. But with so many differing ideas, it could lead to
some conflicts and could actually be more time-consuming. Time is an issue with
grouping since it takes a while to organize and start the activity, especially
with all the students trying to talk. In addition, some stronger students may
end up doing all the work while the more passive students don’t have a chance
to participate.
Task 4 – How can the teacher make sure all students are
equally involved in the lesson and give individual attention?
Refrain
from picking on just the students with the familiar names all the time.
Memorize all the students’ names and use their names at the end of a question
when you want to ask a specific student that question. Also, you shouldn’t
teach exclusively to only the weak or strong students. Although, you should
make sure that every student understand the materials. That means spending more
time with students who are having difficulties with the task while trying to
keep the other students busy with another task. Do not go in any order when
checking homework or asking questions because that makes it very predictable
and dull. Students will not pay attention until it’s their turn. Going in a
random order will keep the students attentive. Most importantly, try to ensure
that every student is involved equally in any activity. Don’t allow any
individual student to hog all your attention. The only case in which you may
not include all the students equally in an activity is when they don’t want to
or cannot contribute to the activity. It may be better to let them remain
silent. You can ask simple questions now and then to encourage contributing
more to the class and boosting their self-confidence.
Task 5 – When is teacher talking time important?
TTT is important when the teacher
is building rapport with the students because the teacher should take the
initiative to get to know his/her students first. Also, TTT should be included
before every activity since the teacher has to set up the activity and give
instructions to the students. They have to direct them on how to do the
activity. In addition, TTT is necessary when providing feedback and language
input. The teacher can make slight improvements to the student’s speech. The
teacher will have more TTT when she/he is presenting, checking, modeling, or
clarifying problems, instructions, or answers.
Task 6 – How can the teacher reduce unnecessary teacher
talking time?
Don’t over-elaborate concepts or
instructions. Keep them simple. For example, don’t use TEFL language or any
other jargon that the students would not understand. That way you don’t have to
take time explaining unimportant things. Use mime, gestures, or other visual
cues to really emphasize your point. Carefully choose your word choice for
explanations, feedback, and directions. Once the students start an activity,
don’t interrupt the flow. Overall, just keep the language simple and below the
students’ English language level.
Task 7 – What can a teacher do to ensure that instructions
are understood?
First, make
sure the students are paying attention to the teacher. The teacher should
attract the attention of the class and make sure everyone is listening
carefully, not distracted. Then use consistent, simple language when giving instructions.
The teacher should repeat the same commands for the instructions and use
language that is below the students’ language level. Using visual cues help as
well since they really reinforce your instructions. Sometimes, some students
are visual learners and prefer to see the instructions written instead of
spoken. Keep the instructions short and simple as to not overload the students.
In addition, the teacher should give a demonstration as an example since
showing the activity can really clarify the instructions. Lastly, make sure the
students comprehend all the instructions given. Have them repeat the
instructions to you to see if they know what to do and monitor the class to
check.
Task 8 – How exactly would you ‘explain’ to a group of elementary
students how to complete a gap fill exercise?
I would
have the handout in my hand, get the attention of the students, and point to
it. I would explain that on this paper, there’s 20 sentences (or how many
sentences there are) that has one word missing from each sentence. On the right
side of the paper, there are 20 words that will go to exactly one of these
sentences on the left. You have to find which word completes each sentence the
best and fill in the blank with that word. I would then do one for an example.
Task 9 – What can the teacher do to help establish rapport
with the students?
The teacher
should try to make a stable, relaxed atmosphere in the class. Also, the teacher
should project an image of wanting to be there in the class by smiling and
being positive in everything you do. Students notice when a teacher does not
particularly like his/her job.
Not only
should the teacher know their students’ names, but also the students should
know their classmates’ names as well. A teacher should show some personal
interest in their students and encourage other students to get to know one
another. This could be done by student interaction in pair work or group work
activities and ice breakers. Also, allow
the students to help one another by letting them correct each other. Refrain
from doing everything by yourself in the class all the time. Elicit help and
opinions from the students. Most students would love to get involved and make
class more personal. When giving instructions, keep it simple and clear. Do not
let individual students hog all the attention of the class.
Task 10 – List some of the reasons for problem behavior that
you may experience in an EFL classroom.
How can/should the teacher prevent it?
How can the teacher deal with problem behavior should it arise?
There are
versatile factors that could lead to problem behavior from a student. Family
problems can definitely influence problem behavior. If the home environment is
unsafe or unstable, then that student could feel unsafe/out of place anywhere.
Low self-esteem or boredom could cause a student to lash out and create
problems. A student who is not challenged enough or too much can be bored. Peer
pressure can lead to a lack of respect for the teacher if their peers don’t
respect the instructor as well. Also, a large class size may make the student
feel out of place and lonely. He/she might think that they need to cause
trouble to get any attention at all.
You can
prevent problems if you’re punctual and well-prepared for class. It shows that
you take your job seriously and that you’re genuinely enthusiastic about being
there. Also, if you build a rapport with the students, they will trust you and
learn to open up to you. If you’re consistent and fair, they know you will be
just and unbiased. Most importantly, you must be patient, calm, and never lose
your temper. You should not let your personal feelings interfere with class and
never bluff about punishment you do not plan on carrying out. You should also
show respect in order to get respect in return. It wouldn’t hurt to make
classes varied and interesting as well.
If problems
do arise despite numerous prevention tactics, then the teacher should act
immediately. The problem may worsen if it is not dealt with quickly. Make sure
to focus on the problem itself, not the student. Sometimes the problem may be
due to his/her peers. In that case, reseating could help resolve it. You should
reprimand the problem student in private after class because doing so publicly
may embarrass the student and cause further lashing out. Do not threaten to use
punishment that is not within the school’s disciplinary code. If you cannot
enforce it, the student will think you cannot punish them at all. Also, use the
experience of your colleagues because they will have probably been in that
situation before. Above all, keep calm because having a temper will not help the
situation.
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