Unit 29 ☆ Categorising Learners' Mistakes

Categorising Learners' Mistakes

       Who hasn't learned from a situations where we did not do the right thing? It is said that we learn and improve through the process of trial and error in order to become better at something. In the classroom, there are two ways to classify this; errors and slips.

Basically, an Error often occurs due to the lack of knowledge, ex; A student did not check the right way to conjugate the verb fly* in past tense, so he said flyed* instead of flew. This could be categorized as a little problem with accuracy*

An slip occurs when we don't use language in the right way due to other factors that are not related the lack of knowledge, ex; A student has a conversation in which he doesn't use the proper tense of a verb maybe because he got nervous and hesitant.

There are also utterances that are used in a context which are inappropriate, for example; a native spanish-speaker uses the word assisst* to say. "I want to assisst to that meeting with Karla" in Spanish assisst* means attend* not to help, so there is Language 1 interference.

The following is a video which contains strategies to help learners with something that may not be done in the proper way when using language

Also, it is worth to mention that correcting errors and slips is something that should be done or avoided depending on the case and the purpose of a lesson. If we want to achieve fluency with a Speaking task, we should not stop learners to correct their mistakes as they could go shy or lose confidence. Then, if a person didn't like to be told he was doing something wrong, we could correct mistakes indirectly by reading an extract containing the exponent in the right way. Looking for subtle ways to help our students could be the key to help them take out the best of them dependently on the case.

Ultimately, mistakes happen all the time, maybe they go untoticeable or maybe some people have their own linguistic choices and use something in a way they feel it is ok. Language is something that changes so maybe we should keep an eye open to notice that there are many ways to refer to something and if that was not the ccase, subtly help people find solutions for their needs.

Unit 28 ☆ Identifying the Functions of Learner's Language

 Identifying the Functions of Learner's Language

       Leaners make a variety of linguistic choices when they perform tasks or activities. This is when "exponents" come nin handy. An exponent is language that is used to accomplish purposes. Teachers should prompt situations that allow learners think of the right way to express themselves, so that with real practice knowledge is internalized.

Here's an example of students role-playing. Students need to use language to make themselves understood in a variety of situations in the classroom

       People don't need to understand every single piece of lexis of a language to be able to communicate with it. Parting from this, learning chunks could be a way learners could associate the use of specific sets of words to accomplish a purpose.

Examples of chunks

This page gives advise when using chunks so that fluecy levels increase

Unit 27 ★ Using Language Appropriately for a range of Classroom Functions

Using Language Appropriately for a Range of Classroom Functions

       Classroom functions basically are the purposes that are implicit when we use language. We use exponents to show the purpose of something. An exponent of language may be "good morning" and the purpose is "to greet". It is important for people to use the right exponents at the right time according to the occasion they fit best.

Some types of exponents are;

"Getting Learners' Attention" and the exponent would be "Listen, please"

an example of function may be  "Instructing" and the exponent "please, I'd like you to open your books on page 113"

an example of function may be  "Modelling" and the exponent "welcome" This should make a focus on the right moments to say the exponent.

Classroom functions help us students notice the purpose of using language in specific situation, in a classroom funtions prompt students become inmersed into the language as they need to pay attention and actively participate in doing something.

The following is a video about classroom functions

Unit 26 ★ Selection and Use of Teaching Aids

 Selection and Use of Teaching Aids

       Teachers will often find situations where the use of aids are necesarry to help students grasp the idea of a topic in a better way. These teaching aids contribute to achieve a better understanding, some of them are;
Ovehead projectors (OHPs)

Pictures

Realia

and the input of the teacher him/herself.

Choosing the right aids should fit into a criteria of fulfilling the aims in the classroom. 

Unit 25 ☆ Selection and Use Of Supplementary Materials and Activities

 Selection and Use Of Supplementary Materials and Activities

       It is important to notice when a different activity could lean the classroom development towards a friendly environment of joy and learning. Supplementary materials are additional ones that complement a coursebook's activities.

Example of Supplementary Materials of a Coursebook

       Often these materials are oriented to improve the skills of students, some of them are; grammar, vocabulary and phonology practice materials. These kinds of materials are useful to complement the activities studied in a coursebook and give learners practice of topics that need more attention in the syllabus.

 English Grammar Supplementary Materials

Authentic Source

ESL English Worksheet

Unit 24 ☆ Selection and use of Coursebook Materials

Selection and use of Coursebook Materials

       A typical package of a coursebook usually includes a teacher's book, a student's book and an audio/video recordings.

Example of a Cousebook package

      The selection of the materials that are going to be used in classroom is a very important step that teachers take and this depends on some factors of vital importance such as; the level of students, the class profile, students' needs and so on. 

      The topics of materials should all be relevant, of interest and motivating for students. Teacher could do some adaptations if necessary, so the topics keep a nice track of learning

      I believe that choosing materials is a key point in teaching. The more attractive and interesting the material are, the more students are going to be engaged into learning.

Ex of Visual Aids helping learnes see how something actually is rather than just listening or reading text

Unit 23 ★ Consulting Reference Resources to Help in Lesson Planning

Reference Material

When we are involved in an educational process, we often will find information that we need to look at more closely. thus making some research is going to be something that is usually needed.

Some types of reference that in an English Classroom will often be needed are; Monolingual Dictionaries, Phonemic Charts, Lists of irregular Verbs, the Internet and so on.

An example of an Extra Source of Information

From among all the resources we could find, we need to make distinctions and notice if the information we are looking at is reliable and we might as well see its grade of usefulness.

Example of Dictinary resource

Dictionary.com

Example of a Phonemic Chart