teaching grammar for professional purposes - pp

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Teaching GrammarTeaching Grammarfor Professional Purposesfor Professional Purposes

Prof. Reima AlProf. Reima Al--JarfJarfKing Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKing Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

[email protected]@gmail.com

Website: http://Website: http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/aljarffaculty.ksu.edu.sa/aljarf

International Language Conference on the Importance of Learning Professional ForeignLanguages for Communication Between Cultures.

Celje, Slovenia. September 24-25, 2009.


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IntroductionIntroduction

English Grammar constitutes a major problem forEnglish Grammar constitutes a major problem for

Saudi college students.Saudi college students.

Many students confuse tenses, have difficultyMany students confuse tenses, have difficulty

with subject verb agreement, with irregularwith subject verb agreement, with irregular

singular and plural forms, with use of definitesingular and plural forms, with use of definite

articles, complex sentences and many others.articles, complex sentences and many others.


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Proposed ModelProposed Model

Based onBased on mymy experience,experience, I am proposingI am proposing a 5a 5--stagestage

model for teaching grammar for professionalmodel for teaching grammar for professional

purposes effectivelypurposes effectively..


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Content

Selection

Presentation

of grammatical

point

Guided Practice

& Error Correction

Independent Practice

With Extension Activities

Assessment

Stages of Grammar InstructionStages of Grammar Instruction


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(1)(1) Content selectionContent selection

College students learning Enlgish for professionalCollege students learning Enlgish for professionalpurposes need topurposes need to learnlearn functionsfunctions for dailyfor dailycommunication with colleaguescommunication with colleagues..

They also need toThey also need to focus on studying Englishfocus on studying Englishgrammatical structuresgrammatical structures that are common in thethat are common in thewritten textswritten texts of their major.of their major.

Common structures inCommon structures in scientific textsscientific texts such assuch as

scientific papers, reports, instruction sheets,scientific papers, reports, instruction sheets,advertisement, patents are:advertisement, patents are: Nominal phrases,Nominal phrases,compounds, derivatives, passive forms with nocompounds, derivatives, passive forms with no

byby--phrase to specify the actor, Present Simplephrase to specify the actor, Present Simple..


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Common structures inCommon structures injournalismjournalism (newspaper(newspaperlanguage):language):

Headlines use nouns not verbs for actionsHeadlines use nouns not verbs for actions

Use of the infinitive instead of the futureUse of the infinitive instead of the futuretense.tense.

The article is usually deleted in openings .The article is usually deleted in openings .

use of the comma when there is no room foruse of the comma when there is no room forthe conjunction "andthe conjunction "and..

Use of passive clauses with no agent.Use of passive clauses with no agent.

Inversion of normal word order.Inversion of normal word order.


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Some common structures inSome common structures in legal textslegal texts::

Long and complex sentences and conditional clauses.Long and complex sentences and conditional clauses.

Coordinated adverbials that cluster at the beginning ofCoordinated adverbials that cluster at the beginning of

the sentence.the sentence. Long complicated nominal groups.Long complicated nominal groups.

Modal auxiliary shall + be + past participle. Shall is usedModal auxiliary shall + be + past participle. Shall is used

to express what is to be the obligatory consequence ofto express what is to be the obligatory consequence of

a legal decision (not the future).a legal decision (not the future).

Their French origin of some legal phrases has affectedTheir French origin of some legal phrases has affected

the wordthe word--order as in:order as in: court martial heir apparent,court martial heir apparent,

secretary general.secretary general.


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(2)(2) PresentationPresentation of Structuresof Structures

Teach a nTeach a new structure directlyew structure directly..

CCompare and contrastompare and contrast cases for same topiccases for same topic

(tenses)(tenses)..

Teach mnemonic devices (plural).Teach mnemonic devices (plural).

Connect tConnect tenses with realenses with real--life situations.life situations.

Use gUse graphic organizers such araphic organizers such a chartchart that showsthat shows

singular and plural formssingular and plural forms,, timelinestimelines to showto show

differences between tenses.differences between tenses.


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GiveGive bbrief rulesrief rules,, avoidavoid givinggiving exceptions.exceptions.

CoverCover all casesall cases briefly (articles, plural, negatives,briefly (articles, plural, negatives,

tag questions)tag questions)

Teach a detailed topicTeach a detailed topic in stagesin stages (subject(subject--verbverbagreement). Students practice each installmentagreement). Students practice each installment

before moving on to the next. Give a briefbefore moving on to the next. Give a brief

summary of details when you finish.summary of details when you finish.

Use color, circles, arrows etc toUse color, circles, arrows etc to show relationshipshow relationship

between parts.between parts.

Have sHave studentstudents verbalize rulesverbalize rules orally.orally.


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(3) Guided(3) Guided PracticePractice &&

EErrorrror CCorrectionorrection

Students practice the new structure andStudents practice the new structure and dodo

exercisesexercises in classin class under the instructor'sunder the instructor's

supervision.supervision.

TheThe instructor providesinstructor provides communicative feedbackcommunicative feedback..

Students practice the new structure inStudents practice the new structure in longerlonger

discoursediscourse (paragraph level, not sentence level)(paragraph level, not sentence level),,

orally, in writingorally, in writing andand reading (forreading (forcommunication).communication).

TheyThey analyzeanalyze sentencesentence before solving (they circlebefore solving (they circle

verbs,verbs, break the sentence into its constituents,break the sentence into its constituents,


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(4)(4) Extension activitiesExtension activities

Free productionFree production of the new structure isof the new structure is

necessary.necessary.

Use out of classUse out of class listening, speaking, reading andlistening, speaking, reading and

writingwriting activitiesactivities..

StudentsStudents verbalize stepsverbalize steps for producing afor producing a

structure.structure.

Supplement cSupplement classroom instruction withlassroom instruction with internetinternetwebsites, class forum, student blogs.websites, class forum, student blogs.

Give activities that require students toGive activities that require students to produceproduce

a new structurea new structure in a forum or blog.in a forum or blog.


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(5)(5)AssessmentAssessment

Give weekly quizzes.Give weekly quizzes.

Quizzes should require students to apply ruleQuizzes should require students to apply rulenot to produce answers mechanically.not to produce answers mechanically.

Give more production than recognitionGive more production than recognitionquestions.questions.

Test structuresTest structures in a different context andin a different context and

examplesexamples from those given in class or textbookfrom those given in class or textbook..Have studentsHave students applyapply structuresstructures in context andin context andinin longlong stretches of discoursestretches of discourse (paragraph not(paragraph notsingle sentences)single sentences)..


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Test several structures using the same paragraphTest several structures using the same paragraph

(students change verb tense and form, insert(students change verb tense and form, insert

articles) from clues.articles) from clues.

Change qChange question formatuestion format for testing the samefor testing the same

structurestructure from quiz to quiz.from quiz to quiz.

Test small details.Test small details.

Give many items for each structure.Give many items for each structure.DonDont give students faulty items and ask studentst give students faulty items and ask students

to identify mistakes and correct them.to identify mistakes and correct them.

Deduct points for spelling mistakes.Deduct points for spelling mistakes.


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EE--mail:mail: [email protected]@gmail.comWebsite: http://Website: http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/aljarffaculty.ksu.edu.sa/aljarf

teaching grammar for professional purposes - pp

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