Teaching Punctuation

Generally speaking English punctuality obeys the same laws as Russian. Teach children to capitalize the names of months and days, words like ocean, river, etc., which accompany geographical names, Mrs., Mr. Black.

Generally you use a full stop (a period) in direct speech BEFORE the final inverted comas (“Please, help me.”)

Use a full stop before decimal fractions: 0.71 = naught point seven one (point seven one)

Use a comma:

1. before direct speech (He said, “I know”)

2. In an enumeration before the final “and”

3. in numerals: 3,952,430

4. to clarify the m-ng of the utterance: Candidates should answers A or B, and C

candidates should answer A, or B and C

Do not use a comma:

1. before objective clauses (They told me_that I was …)

2. before and after attributive clauses restricting the object

Use a hyphen for numerals from 21 to 99. Do not use it in phone numbers.

Correction of Spelling Mistakes

1. Remind of the rule

2. Write the transcription that illustrates the wrong spelling

3. It was a long tail (Длинное повествование или длинный хвост?)

There is a form of writing between the technique of writing and writing proper – dictation. Dictation teach more than spelling, they teach immediate memory to comprehend, decode, decipher phrases which sound alike. That is to understand ambiguity (phonetic). It is in dictations that students decide for the differences between “their home” and “they're at home”, “ a newer system” and “a new assistant”.

The whole dictation is read to the students, then it is dictated sentence by sentence and only twice. If the sentence is long, with some clauses, they listen to the whole sentence and then – clause by clause and to the whole sentence again. After the whole dictation is over, the teacher reads it once again, the sentences are read at normal speed, but the teacher can make longer pauses between the sentences or even between phrases, from pause to pause.

Self-dictation – either listen to a text twice or read it half a minute–minute trying to memorise, then put the text aside and write it down from memory, then they can re-read or re-listen and report on their performance.

Teaching writing

During the early stages there are not many differences between written and oral utterances. Written utterance help to enhance oral skills

Что ты видишь на картинке? - it is a red cup

Каков предмет изображен на картинке? - the cup is red

Use these questions to make a plan of your own utterance: do you have a pet?, what colour is it?, what can it do?, what animal is it?, what does it like?

A narrative can also be taught at opening stages (in historical present)

Look at the comics and write a narrative completing these sentences “It is a … day. There are … Then the big boy starts ...”

Exchange the pictures you made and let your desk-mate describe your picture in writing.

Writing an informal note

Write at least 3 compliments

Suggest going out

The style should be neutral