These are a few videos I've collected to help explain cause and effect. Many are designed for children, but they do a good job of getting the basic idea of what one is talking about before moving on to more advanced vocabulary.
Showing posts with label grammar teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grammar teaching. Show all posts
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Resources for learning the simple past tense in English
Over the years, I've found that there are certain handouts I give to almost every class of students.
These are some of the most useful for learning the simple past tense in English.
Like most things in English the actual grammar rules for making the past tense are very simple.
Take the verb stem and put "ed" on the end.
For example: "jump" + "ed" = "jumped" -----------Past Tense!!
Simple (especially when compared to most European languages).
However, also like most things in English, the exceptions to the rules (the "irregular" verbs) are countless and usually outnumber the "regular" verbs that follow the rules. Therefore the key to learning to use the past tense in English is just to memorize not just a lot of irregular verbs but to also remember which ones actually do follow the verbs.
The follow lists have proven themselves useful to me and my students again and again.
First, we have a list of the most common English verbs that are regular in the past tense:
https://www.linguasorb.com/english/verbs/regular-verbs/
Second, we have a list of the most common English verbs that are irregular in the past tense.: http://www.esl-lounge.com/reference/grammar-reference-most-common-irregular-verb-list.php
Once students have learned and become proficient in using those, they can move on to this longer list of regular verbs.: https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/regular-verbs-list.htm and this longer list of irregular verbs,: https://www.englishpage.com/irregularverbs/irregularverbs.html
If students want a past tense grammar review, there's one here: https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepastforms.htm
These are some of the most useful for learning the simple past tense in English.
Like most things in English the actual grammar rules for making the past tense are very simple.
Take the verb stem and put "ed" on the end.
For example: "jump" + "ed" = "jumped" -----------Past Tense!!
Simple (especially when compared to most European languages).
However, also like most things in English, the exceptions to the rules (the "irregular" verbs) are countless and usually outnumber the "regular" verbs that follow the rules. Therefore the key to learning to use the past tense in English is just to memorize not just a lot of irregular verbs but to also remember which ones actually do follow the verbs.
The follow lists have proven themselves useful to me and my students again and again.
First, we have a list of the most common English verbs that are regular in the past tense:
https://www.linguasorb.com/english/verbs/regular-verbs/
Second, we have a list of the most common English verbs that are irregular in the past tense.: http://www.esl-lounge.com/reference/grammar-reference-most-common-irregular-verb-list.php
Once students have learned and become proficient in using those, they can move on to this longer list of regular verbs.: https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/regular-verbs-list.htm and this longer list of irregular verbs,: https://www.englishpage.com/irregularverbs/irregularverbs.html
If students want a past tense grammar review, there's one here: https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepastforms.htm
Thursday, October 26, 2017
writing good sentences
More than once I've been hired to teach writing to students who often needed help with the basics.
This is a collection of materials I've found on the basics of writing good sentences.
This second one is good too, but it's worth mentioning that Mark Roberts is Canadian and pronounces the word "pasta" differently than most Americans would. (We would say PAH-sta, with an "a" like in "taco" but he says PA-sta with an "a" like in "cat.")
Sentence fragments are a big problem with many students, both foreign and native speakers.
Run on sentences are another big problem.
If you'd like to practice corrrecting sentences and check your understanding of grammar, here is a collection of sample quizzes and practice sheets you can use.
http://www.englishforeveryone.org/Topics/Sentence-Correction.htm
This video teaches types of sentences.
This is a video on how to write better sentences. It assumes a good command of grammar.
Not so great
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpoZBnXHg3E
This is a collection of materials I've found on the basics of writing good sentences.
This second one is good too, but it's worth mentioning that Mark Roberts is Canadian and pronounces the word "pasta" differently than most Americans would. (We would say PAH-sta, with an "a" like in "taco" but he says PA-sta with an "a" like in "cat.")
Sentence fragments are a big problem with many students, both foreign and native speakers.
Run on sentences are another big problem.
If you'd like to practice corrrecting sentences and check your understanding of grammar, here is a collection of sample quizzes and practice sheets you can use.
http://www.englishforeveryone.org/Topics/Sentence-Correction.htm
This video teaches types of sentences.
This is a video on how to write better sentences. It assumes a good command of grammar.
Not so great
Thursday, October 6, 2016
English as a Second Language Lesson plan --Giving Advice
Tomorrow is my advanced class at the William K Sanford library.
The subject will be on giving advice. I may try to tie the lesson in with the recent election debates. (Although if I do that then I guess I will have to actually watch at least part of the debates, something so far I have done successfully.) I suspect I shall suggest the students give advice to the candidates on how to act better in the debates.
Sample lesson plan
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||
goal
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Student will be better prepared to give
advice using modals.
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Objective
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Students will be able to make sentences
with the following modals used in both a positive and negative way.
1. Could / couldn’t
2. Should / shouldn’t
3. Must /mustn’t
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Ice- breaker
Review
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Introduce self to students
Tell the students I am here for a job
interview.
What should I do?
(NOTE THAT THIS IS INCORPORATED INTO
THE LECTURE)
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Lecture / explanation
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SEE NOTES
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Exercise / practice
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Pass out worksheet
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Assessment
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Look at worksheet
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Possible Homework
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???
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Materials not covered that could be used for follow up,
review and expansion:
1.
Unreal
conditionals (two great songs for this are “If I were a rich man” and “If I had
a million dollars.”)
2.
Dear Abby
The lecture notes
Lecture –Giving Advice
1. Introduce the subject of giving advice
1. Introduce the subject of giving advice
Explain my problem –job interview
INTERACTION:
Explain I will need advice, but that comes later.
2. Ask them for examples of problems.
2. Ask them for examples of problems.
INTERACTION: Write them on the board.
3. Introduce the constructions “should,” “shouldn’t” and “should not.”
INTERACTION:
–PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE
Explain how to use them in a phrase or sentence.
Give some examples.
“if you are hungry, you ______________ eat.”
“if you are thirsty, you ______________ drink.”
“If you are tired, you ____________ sleep.”
AND THE
“If you are tired, you ______________ drive.”
“If you are angry, you ______________ speak.”
“if you are sad, you _____________ watch sad movies.”
LOOK AT THE EXAMPLES OF PROBLEMS
INTERACTION:
Discuss what people should and shouldn’t do.
IF TIME ALLOWS EXPLAIN “must” and “must not” and “could”
GO BACK TO THE EXAMPLES AND PRACTICE
Here's a useful link on how to teach this.: http://busyteacher.org/3903-how-to-teach-giving-advice.html
And here's a useful worksheet you can pass out to your students: http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/2g18-should-shouldnt-exercise.php
Good luck, if you use this, please give credit where credit is due. (Including to the folks I linked to,) and leave your comments please,
Here's a useful link on how to teach this.: http://busyteacher.org/3903-how-to-teach-giving-advice.html
And here's a useful worksheet you can pass out to your students: http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/2g18-should-shouldnt-exercise.php
Good luck, if you use this, please give credit where credit is due. (Including to the folks I linked to,) and leave your comments please,
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
What is Fossilization? A common problem in English teaching and Teaching of English as a Second Language
We've all seen or heard it.
Someone who speaks English with, shall we say, a certain noticeable style.
In other words, people who have learned English in order to communicate and have often done so without much formal education or training in the language. Or perhaps they did have English classes but the classes were inconsistent and perhaps poorly conducted.
Such people often serve as translators in their places of work and when interacting with American society Despite the English grammar such people are often clearly of high intelligence, serve as leaders of their community, and, despite, the grammar problems, have learned to communicate when many other members of their community have not. So what's going on here?
Basically, bad habits. Bad, very ingrained habits. And sometimes a lack of understanding as to what correct grammar should be. In teaching of English as a second language there is a term for this. It is called "fossilization."
As most know, a "fossil" is when natures takes something, perhaps a piece of bone, shell, or plant, and converts it to stone. In geology and other sciences "to fossilize" means "to change something into stone and make it a fossil."
In language teaching "fossililzation" refers to the process where a grammatical structure, a way of speaking, is not only routinely formed incorrectly but is done so regularly and routinely and automatically by the speaker. This is something English teachers see regularly. It's a difficult process to fix, but there are ways to work on it.
Of course, this happens not just in English learning but in the learning of other languages too. Perhaps one reason the subject interests me is because I have a problem with fossilized structures in my Mandarin Chinese.
Someone who speaks English with, shall we say, a certain noticeable style.
"I no liking America food. I cooking you good Korea food."
or
"I learn Burmese very good as a child but I Karen, not Burmese."
In other words, people who have learned English in order to communicate and have often done so without much formal education or training in the language. Or perhaps they did have English classes but the classes were inconsistent and perhaps poorly conducted.
Such people often serve as translators in their places of work and when interacting with American society Despite the English grammar such people are often clearly of high intelligence, serve as leaders of their community, and, despite, the grammar problems, have learned to communicate when many other members of their community have not. So what's going on here?
Basically, bad habits. Bad, very ingrained habits. And sometimes a lack of understanding as to what correct grammar should be. In teaching of English as a second language there is a term for this. It is called "fossilization."
As most know, a "fossil" is when natures takes something, perhaps a piece of bone, shell, or plant, and converts it to stone. In geology and other sciences "to fossilize" means "to change something into stone and make it a fossil."
In language teaching "fossililzation" refers to the process where a grammatical structure, a way of speaking, is not only routinely formed incorrectly but is done so regularly and routinely and automatically by the speaker. This is something English teachers see regularly. It's a difficult process to fix, but there are ways to work on it.
Of course, this happens not just in English learning but in the learning of other languages too. Perhaps one reason the subject interests me is because I have a problem with fossilized structures in my Mandarin Chinese.
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