Structured Output:Structured Output:A Focus on FormA Focus on Form

in Language Production in Language Production

(Chapter 8)(Chapter 8)Jennifer RobisonJennifer Robison

Why Output?Why Output?Input is necessary but not sufficientProcesses involved in production:

access, monitoring, production strategies

Access: the ability to express a particular meaning via a particular form or structure

Does not follow automatically from acquisition into a developing system

Linked to fluency and accuracy

Why Output? Why Output? Access comes not only from

input, but also from opportunities to create output

Focus on output should involve learners producing language that communicates something (is meaningful) to someone

Pause to consider…Pause to consider…What factors influence the ability

to access?◦Strength of binding◦Phonological (sound) shape?◦Relationship to other forms and

structures?◦Number of functions attached to one

form or number of forms attached to one function

Practice Makes Perfect?Practice Makes Perfect?Traditional approachesTraditional approaches

Drills – purpose: good habitsmechanical meaningful communicative

◦SLA Reasearch – bypasses deeper levels

of processing◦Learners concentrate on the form,

abandon meaning

Structured Structured Output: Output: Form with Form with meaningmeaning

Structured Structured Output: Output: Form with Form with MeaningMeaning

Two major characteristics: Involve exchange of unknown information Require learners to access a particular form or structure to express meaning

Guidelines for Developing Guidelines for Developing Structured OutputStructured Output

Present one thing at a timeKeep meaning in focusMove from sentence to

connected discourseUse both written and oral outputOthers must respond to the

content of the outputThe learner must have some

knowledge of the form or structure

EvaluatingEvaluating Form-focused Form-focused

ActivitiesActivities

What are you doing this What are you doing this weekend?weekend?

Make a list of three things you are going to do or places you are going this weekend.

In groups of three, ask each other: “What are you going to do this

weekend?” Write at least 3 sentences that summarize

what the members of your group are going to do this weekend. For example:

Javier is going to play basketball. Veronica

and Malik are going to a movie. We’re all going to study.

Nobody’s coming!Nobody’s coming!You and your friend are giving a party, and you invited lots of people, but nobody can come. You talked to Marta, Travis, and Marie. Your friend asks why each person can’t come: Why can’t Marta come? Tell her why no one is coming. Make sentences like: Marta can’t come because she has to work.

Marta workTravis write a paperMarie clean the bathroom

Did you go to the Did you go to the store?store?

1. Brainstorm with the class 4 stores/places to go in your community and three things one does at each place. Have a student make a chart on the board. For example:

The post office

The grocery store

The gas station

The movie theater

Buy stamps Buy milk Buy milk Buy popcorn

Mail a package

Buy stamps

Get gas See a movie

Get mail Buy medicine

Go through the car wash

Play video games

2. Students form pairs. Give each student a card with the name of one of the places written on it. Tell students that their job is to figure out where their classmate went last night. They take turns asking each other one question: “Did you buy stamps?,” Did you see a movie?”, etc. The first pair to write down each student’s name and where they went runs to the front of the class to ring the bell!

Safe DrivingSafe DrivingWrite down 5 things you should or

shouldn’t do to be a safe driver. For example:oYou should fasten your seat belt.oYou shouldn’t put on makeup in the car.

Compare your list to your partner’s. Do you agree or disagree? Choose the three most important ones. Why are they the most important?

Share your answers with the class. As a class choose three to put on a poster about safe driving.

A few more questions…A few more questions…How do we ensure that the learner

has “some knowledge of the form or structure?”

How do structured input and structured output occur at the same time? Why do both?

What’s the difference between information based communicative tasks and structured output?