Lesson Plan One
This class would fit in during the third week of the course. Students will have already had a review of the grammar of questions and an introduction to supra-segmentals in statements. The next step, then, would be to merge these together with a lesson on stress, rhythm and intonation in questions. The class would incorporate three activities each dealing with a different aspect of question asking in English.
Activity One
Activity Type Pronunciation/stress Student Involvement: pairs, triads Learning Style: auditory, collaborative Goal: The goal of this activity is to make Students aware of the importance of supra-segmental features of language. As the following examples show, emphasizing different words can change the basic meaning of a sentence. Often little thought of in language instruction, stress (as well as rhythm and intonation) is as important as grammar and syntax in terms of the impressions listeners have of the speaker and the message. Procedure: I . Have Students get into pairs or triads. Hand out rubber-bands and a reference sheet of the sentences below to each group. Have each group cut up the reference sheet so that each sentence is on a separate smaller piece of paper. Have each student take a sentence and a rubber-band. 2. Holding a rubber-band in both hands, have them take turns reciting the sentences below stretching the rubber-band to show where the stress falls in each sentence. Have the other Students in the pair/triad try and guess the implication for each stress pattern. 3. Hand out kazoos to Students. Have them repeat the process above. Instead of using a rubber-band to mark the stress patterns have them recite their sentences through the kazoo. Have the other Students try and guess which sentence is being recited and which implication goes with that sentence.
The first part of this activity will be of help to visual since the stress pattems can be seen in writing; however, the second part will be of much more benefit to auditory and collaborative reamers in that Ss must listen to each other's rendition of one of the examples and agree on which one is being recited
(See Appendix 11, item one for examples of stress in English)
Activity Two
Activity Type: grammar activity/formation of yes/no questions Student Involvement: individual, pairs Learning Style: visual, analytic, collaborative Goal: Although many Students have seen yes/no questions before, and may even be able to produce such formations in writing, they still have difficulty in correctly producing them under the time constraints of conversation. This activity can help Students by strengthening their abilities in both speaking through practice in writing. It can be broken into two parts in order to accommodate various types of student learning styles.
Part A will best serve those Students who are visual learners in that Students will be able to see the language forms in writing. It will also be of help to learners who work best on their own. It will benefit analytic learners in that they will have to think through the rules of question formation and apply them. Finally, the last section of Part A will benefit collaborative learners in that Students will be able to work together on corrections and editing. Part B will also be of help to collaborative learners in that Students will be able to interact and help each other with pronunciation and syntactic issues. This part of the activity will also aid auditory learners in that Ss will be interacting verbally. In addition, the teacher should feel free to choose the text to be used in this activity. The text provided, while involved in nature, has nothing to do with sales or marketing issues. Procedure: Part A. In order to reinforce their knowledge of the grammar of yes-no questions, have Ss rewrite each of the following sentences into a yes-no question. Then have them check their answers with another student and make any necessary changes.
1. Juan can speak French. 2. You will go to the library after class. 3. Maritza has lived in Mexico City. 4. You have done all the homework 5. Marcus is living with his family. 6. We are having a test tomorrow. 7. Today is Monday. 8. Ali is from Egypt. 9. Irregular verbs are important to learn. 10. Irregular verbs take a long time to learn. I 1. When you lived in Mexico City, you studied Spanish. 12. After you left the library, you went to the bookstore. 13. You have trouble with mathematics. 14. The university has many international students. 15. Peter lives with his brother. 16. Peter has a car. 17. Irregular verbs will be on the test. 18. You speak Spanish. 19. You made an "A" on the midterm. 20. You live close to campus. 21. You live with your family.
Part B. Have the Students get into pairs and divide up the above statements and questions between them. Then have one student present a question which s/he has constructed to his/her partner. The partner can either answer in the affirmative or negative. If the partner answers in the negative, the next question should then be answered in the affirmative. Have them trade off this way until they have completed the exercise.
(Adapted from Byrd, P. and Benson, B. (1992). Applied English Grammar. Boston: Heinle and Heinle, p. 185-6.)
Activity Three
Activity Type-. grammar activity/formation of information questions | Student Involvement: pairs Learning Style: visual, analytic, collaborative Goal: Although many Ss have seen and even used information questions before, when it comes to conversation they may still have difficulty in correctly producing them. This activity, then, can help gs by strengthening their abilities in both speaking through practice in writing.
As in the yes/no question activity, Part A would best serve those Ss who are visual learners in that they will be able to see the language forms in writing. It will also be of help to collaborative learners in that Ss will be able to work together on corrections and editing,
Part B will also be of help to both collaborative and analytic learners in that Students will be able to interact and help each to think through the construction of questions and then try to glean a rule from the examples.
Part C will benefit both collaborative and analytic learners in must the same way as Part B. The whole activity, furthermore, will aid auditory learners in that Students will be interacting verbally. Procedure: Part A. Have Students work in pairs to change these sentences into information questions. They should notice that the examples use all of the verb forms except the simple present and the simple past.
1. You can talk to someone about your problem. (2 Possible questions) 2. You will have something for dinner. 3. You will go somewhere after class. 4. You have studied in the library sometime. 5. You are taking English grammar this term for some reason. 6. Your apartment is somewhere. 7. Your rent is some amount.
Part B. After editing the examples for grammar and spelling, have the Students try to write out a rule for the formation of information questions.
Part C. An additional step must be taken when the verb is in the simple present tense or the simple past tense. What is the problem when you try to follow the rule for this sentence? Write the changed forms after each step.
Example: You saw someone at the library.
Source: Byrd, P. and Benson, B. (I 992), Applied English Grammar. Boston: Heinle and Heinle, p. 189.
Lesson Plan Two
This class would fit in during the fourth week of the course as review for the comprehensive test that week. The activities in the first part of the lesson dealing with a different aspect of surface level reduction of speech in English. The second part of the class focuses on beginning review of negation in speech. The Students will have already covered these topics in past classes, but I believe that, due to the density of the material presented of the time constraints of the course, review/reflection would benefit the Ss greatly.
Activity One
Activity Type: grammar exercise/identification Student Involvement: individual, pairs Learning Style: collaborative, visual Goal: Although many Ss have seen and used the linguistic features that they will be identifying before, it is still a good idea to build up their proficiency and fluency. Of course, the Ss familiarity with these features depends on their proficiency level. The main purpose of this activity is to allow Ss the chance to draw their own conclusions about why certain linguistic features cluster together in certain texts.
Procedure: Have the Students work individually and circle all the contractions, all the personal pronouns, all the private verbs, and all of the present tense verbs in the following sentences. 2. Have them individually list two or three possible reasons why these grammatical features occur together. 3. Have the Students then break up into pairs to compare notes (both the circled grammatical features and the lists).
This activity especially helps visual learners by allowing them to see the grammar constructions. Part two is geared toward cooperative learners by giving Students the chance to interact and check each other's work, while the first part helps those Ss who work better individually.
(See Appendix 11, items two and three for examples of involved discourse in writing and speech.)
Activity Two
Activity Type, transformational drill and reduced form on the phrase level Student Involvement: individual, pairs Learning Style: grammar exercise Goal: Students may well be aware of the formal structure of English phrase and clause types but may be confused when they hear native speakers play around with them. As we have seen, one such modification native speakers make in involved discourse is what Biber calls 'THAT' deletion. This activity Is meant to give Students practice in recognizing when this occurs.
Procedure: 1. In the following sentences have the Students work individually and circle all the instances in which 'that' occurs after a private verb. 2. Have the Students work in pairs rewriting the sentences without 'that,' or have them write their own sentences employing 'that' deletion. Have the Students check their partners' work.
While it does not overtly deal with spoken English but instead with the written word, it requires Students to think in terms of how involved discourse looks. In this way, it is a benefit to visual learners. Part one of the activity profits independent/solo learners who work better alone, but helps cooperative learners as well in that it gives Ss the chance to interact and check each other's work in the second part.
(See Appendix 11, item four for an sample reading)
Activity Three
Activity Type: grammar exercise/transformational drill Student Involvement: individual, pairs Learning Style: visual, collaborative, reflective Goal: One can be certain that most Students have seen and used analytic negation before. However, performing transformation drills will allow them to see as well as hear the changes in sentence structure. They will then be much better able to correctly use this linguistic form under normal conversational pressures and time constraints.
Procedure 1. Have Students work individually to re-write the first half of the sentences below changing answers from affirmative to negative. 2. Have them break up into pairs and compare work. Then have each pair work through the rest of the sentences together. 3. Have each pair then split up, choose one sentence and explain what they did and why to one other person in the class
(Students must be careful that changes they make in some sentences do not create paradoxical situations regarding the rest of the passage. They will be required to rewrite some small sections of the passage to accommodate transformation to negative form. I suggest that the teacher type out any passages to be used so that the sentences appear on separate numbered lines. That way, the Students will have room to make corrections and changes without having to rewrite the entire passage.) As with some of the other activities, this one also benefits both individualistic and collaborative learners in that it incorporates both individual and pair work. Visual learners will also find this activity helpful in that they not only hear themselves (and their partner) practicing the transformations, but they can also see these in writing. This activity would be of help to learners who need time to reflect by giving Ss a chance to explain their thoughts and ideas to a fellow student.
(See Appendix 11, item three for a sample reading)
Lesson Plan Three
This class would fit into the class schedule at the end of the seventh week. By this time in the course the Students will be able to begin experimenting with English in different ways. In a role play situation Students will be able to use (and observe other Students use) not only the grammar in specific contexts but supra-segmental features and physical gestures as well. In the discussion setting Students will be able to freely use novel language forms in an interactive environment. In both situations Students are using the target language in accomplishing goals rather than studying its form.
Activity One
Activity Type: role play Student Involvement: small group Learning Style: cooperative, kinesthetic Goal: The aim of this activity is to synthesize all the skills Students have been acquiring, They will have the opportunity also to simulate real life situations and collaborate with other Students using language for a specific goal of putting on a performance. Role plays benefit collaborative learners by allowing Students to work together on a common goal, and they assist kinesthetic learners through the physical activity involved in performance. These activities will also aid the Students by preparing them for the work they will have to do on the final project. Procedure: Present Students with three role play scenarios. (Break the class into thirds and have each group read through one scenario.) After giving Students ample time to organize their thoughts, they should work together in small groups composing dialogues in their own words. The teacher should be sure that they understand each of the objectives and instructions for their roles. These role plays will be performed each week by all Students as either part of the bi-weekly test or as regular class activities. (See appendix 11, items five and six for sample role play scenarios) Activity Two
Activity Type: discussion Student Involvement: small group Learning Style: collaborative Goal: Quite often language learners miss the subtleties of the target language and come off sounding too blunt or gruff in conversation. Since much of what a sales person does is establish rapport with the client, Ss would benefit greatly from knowledge of acceptable topics of conversation in the United States. Although this may not seem to be related to grammar, the teacher can make connections to several of Biber's grammatical features. This activity is also relevant to their lives in the sense that they must deal with (and get along with) Americans on a daily basis. This activity could be used during one of the initial class periods as an ice-breaker. Students would be given a set of conversation samples in which well-meaning sales people accidentally broach taboo subjects (e.g. age, salary, intimate relationships). The would have time to read the passages individually and thinking about them (taking notes, etc.) before breaking up into groups three - four. Ss would then discuss the implications of the passages in their own professional lives and could air their views on cultural differences between the United States and Mexico. One person would be responsible for taking down notes and reporting the group's ideas to the whole class. The second part of this activity would focus on acceptable topics and modes of conversation. Americans prefer to talk about their feelings on any given subject. This could work in general conversation-as in expressing one's feelings regarding the weather-or in the specific context of the sales/marketing office. The following is a transcript of various 'rude' statements followed by more polite and constructive questions. Students should be given time to read and consider these sentences again before breaking up into small groups as before. This time, though, Ss would be given a list of private verbs and would work together to create five - ten problematic sentences and acceptable alternatives. Each group would report their results to the whole class. Given its interactive and conversational nature, this activity will be of the most benefit to collaborative and auditory learners. Seeing the forms on paper also benefits visual learners.
(See appendix 11, item four for a sample reading)
Appendix II
Item One: Examples of stress in English
I'll give you a raise. [Implication, depending on pitch and speed: "Another supervisor wouldn't" or "I have the power to determine your salary."]
I'll give you a raise: [implication, depending on pitch and speed: "You haven't earned it" or "OK, all right, you win. I'm saying yes to get rid of you, but I don't really agree," or "I've just this instant decided that you deserve a raise."]
I'll give you a raise. [Implication: "But nobody else in this department is getting one."]
I'll give you a raise. [Implication- "But just one."]
I'll give you a raise. ' [Implication: "But you won't get the promotion or anything else you want."]
I'll give you a raise! [Implication: "You deserve it."]
I'll give you a raise! [Implication: "I've just this minute decided to act, and I'm excited about this idea. The raise will please both of us."] Source: Locker, Kitty, 0. (1995) Business Administration Communication. (3d ed.). Boston: Erwin, p. 346.
Item Two: Advertisement
L wants you to see the deals of the day with the minimum fuss possible. To aid you in seeing these great bargains everyday with out having to visit the list, we have set up a list strictly for the deals of the day. Once a day, we will mail the deals of the day to people subscribed to that list.
If you'd like to be on the deals of the day mailing list and you use Netscape, MDIE, or another browser that supports mail to form actions, you can press on e of the following buttons to subscribe or unsubscribe from the deals of the day mailing list, Please ensure that you mail preferences are set correctly or this will not work. [Button #I, subscribe] Press this button to subscribe to the mailing list. [Button #2, unsubscribe] Press this button to unsubscribe to the mailing list.
Source: Getting the 'Deals of the Day'via Electronic Mail. [on-line]. Available: http://www.imall.com/dotd/dotd.shtrnl
Item Three: Interview Interviewer: Hello, I'm Mr. Barrett. You're applying for the position of carpenter? Applicant: Yes, I am. My name is Jose Gonzales. Interviewer: Mr. Gonzales, how long have you been in the United States? Applicant: Seven months. Interviewer: And where are you from? Applicant: Nicaragua. Interviewer: How long have you studied English? Applicant: I am studying English now. I study hard. My teacher says I am a good student. Interviewer- Do you think you will be able to follow the directions of your supervisor? Applicant: Of course. If I need to have something repeated or if I don't understand, I'll say so. That would be OK, wouldn't it? Interviewer: Sure. I understand that you have experience as a carpenter. Applicant-. That's correct. I have four years experience, My boss in Nicaragua was very pleased with my work. If you give me a chance, you will be pleased, too. Interviewer: When you were working in Nicaragua, did you use the metric system in measuring? Applicant: Yes we did. One of the first things I asked my English teacher was to give me a chart comparing the metric system to the English system. I have been practicing, so I learn inches and feet. Interviewer: Why do you think I should hire you instead of someone else who is a good carpenter? Applicant: I work hard. I come to work everyday, and I am always on time. You can count on me. Interviewer: That's the kind of worker we want in this company. What salary do you expect? Applicant: I would like to make between 9- 10 dollars an hour, but I will work for whatever you can pay me. Interviewer-. We can only pay $7.50 to start. Applicant: I would work for $7.50 and hour. Is it possible to get raises if I do good work? Interviewer: Certainly. Your work will be reviewed after two months. If you work hard every day, you can receive a 50 cent raise. Applicant- That's great. Is insurance provided with this job? Interviewer: It is after two months. Can you work overtime? Applicant: Sure. I want all the hours I can get. Interviewer: We pay $ 1 0 for overtime. Applicant: Then I want to do all of your overtime work. Interviewer: When could you start? Applicant: Tomorrow morning. Interviewer: I have one other person to interview. I will call you when we have made our decision. It may be a week or two. Applicant: Thank you very much. I look forward to hearing-ring from you.
Source: Burt, B., Harris-Bosselmann, T., Mikacevich, M.A., Schoen, V.M., "The Adult ESL Learner's Handbook", unpublished manuscript.
Item Four: Reading
1. Ordering, directing, commanding "I don't care how you do it. Just get that report to my desk by Friday" Possible active response: Paraphrasing cont. "You're saying that you don't have time to finish this report by Friday?" 2. Warning, threatening "If you can't do this job, I'll get somebody who can." Possible active response: Asking for information or clarification "Could you finish it if you had help on part of it?"
3. Preaching "You should know better than to air the department's problems in a genera meeting. " Possible active response: Mirroring feelings "It sounds like the department's problems really bother you."
4. Interrogating "Why didn't YOU tell me that you didn't understand the instructions?" Possible active response: Stating one's own feelings "I'm frustrated that the job isn't completed yet, and I'm worried about getting it done on time."
5. Judging, criticizing, blaming "Look at this section you wrote It's terrible. Spelling errors ... typos ... parts of it don't even make sense." Possible active response: Offering to solve the problem together "We need to fix the typos and spelling errors and revise some parts of this. What's the best way to get the revisions made in the time we have?"
6. Name-calling, shaming "That remark just shows what a male chauvinist you are.". Possible active response: Stating one's own feelings "I get angry when people suggest that women don't belong in the workplace. It makes me feel that I have to prove myselfall the time, when I'd rather just concentrate on doing my "job."
7. Praising, buttering up "You're smart. I'm sure you'll figure out a way to solve this problem. " Possible active response: Asking for information or clarification. "What parts of the problem seem most difficult to solve?"
8. Interpreting. psychoanalyzing "You just have a problem with authority figures, don't you?" Possible active response: Paraphrasing content "Are you saying that Jim shouldn't be supervising our work so closely?"
9. Minimizing the problem "You think that's bad. You should see what I have to do this week. " Possible active response: Mirroring feelings "You feel overwhelmed right now, don't you?"
10. Advising, giving suggestions or solutions have to do and seeing which items "Well, why don't-you try listing everything you are most important?" Possible active response: Offering to solve the problem together "Is there anything I could do that would help?"
Source: The 10 responses that block communication are adapted from a list of 12 in Gordon, T., and Gordon-Sands, J., (1976). PE. T inaction. NY: Wyden. pp. 117-8.
Item Five: sample role play scenario one: In the following telephone conversation, a customer complains to a supplier. An order has not been received. A deadline approaches.
I st Role: You are serving as administrative assistant for Flash Photo Enterprises. It is your responsibility to coordinate the annual sales conference. You had ordered the following materials two months ago:
Purchase order 4 2341 Calendars with the company logo Promotional pens Flash Photo customer postcards Company courtesy note cards
The conference is coming up next week, but the materials have still not arrived. Phone the supplier to complain. Be assertive. Demand action. Identify yourself - Explain that an order has not been received. Mention the date of the order. List the items to be purchased. Request that materials be shipped a second time by express mail.
2nd Role: You serve as an order-processing clerk at Craft Creations, Inc . You receive a phone call of complaint concerning a delayed shipment. Your records show that the materials were shipped on schedule a week ago by your office. They cannot be sent twice. Identify yourself. · Listen carefully to the customer's complaint. · Ask for details, including date and purchase order number. · Explain that the materials were already shipped. · Suggest that perhaps bad weather has delayed delivery. Apologize for the delay.
Source: Locker, Kitty, 0. (1995) Business Administration Communication. (3 d ed.). Boston: Erwin, pp. 72-3.
Item Six: sample role play scenario two: In the following conversation, two co-workers discuss how to answer business calls. If possible, use a mock phone system to demonstrate.
Ist Role: Your supervisor is unhappy with one of your co-workers. People outside of your office have complained that she answers the phone in an unfriendly and informal manner. Because the coworker is a friend of yours and from your home country, your supervisor asks you to speak to her about it. Be direct, but also be sure to be encouraging- Ask how your friend feels about answering the telephone. Suggest the importance of a ffiendly tone of voice. Offer to show your friend proper phone procedures. Demonstrate several ways to answer business calls.
2nd Role- Your friend and co-worker tells you that the supervisor is unhappy with the way you answer the phone. You are insulted. Sometimes you would prefer not to answer the phone at all. Your friend has always spoken English better than you.
Tell your friend that you are insulted. Refuse to answer the phone ever again. Threaten to answer it in a language other than English. Ask advice anyway.
Source Knoeller, C. (1988). Office Communication, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents, p.72-3.
Appendix III
Suggested Texts for Students:
Resources
Byrd, P. and Benson, B., (1992). Applied English Grammar. Boston- Heinle and Heinie., pp. 185-6.
Fournier, C.A., (I 990). Open Forum Business: Communication Activities for Students of English. NY: Newbury House Publishers.
Knoeller, C., (1988). Office Communication, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents, p.72-3.
Locker, K. O., (I 995). Buisiness Administration Communication. (3d ed.). Boston: Erwin, p. 346. 2. Suggested Texts/Resources for Teachers:
Biber, D. (1988). Variation Across Speech and Writing. NY: Cambridge University Press, pp. 223-245.
Brown, H. D., (I 994). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents.
Byrd, P. and Benson, B., (1992). Applied English Grammar. Boston: Heinle and Heinle., pp. 185-6.
Larsen-Freeman, D., (I 986). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. NY: Oxford University Press.