- •Teaching Grammar
- •D Observation task
- •Input reading 1
- •Exploratory task 1.1 Give the normative parallels to the following sentences
- •Input reading 2
- •Element production
- •Prediction of the next steps
- •Next step production
- •Input reading 3
- •Produce a list of your favorite and most successful techniques of teaching grammar
- •Exploratory task 3.1
- •Exploratory task 3.2
- •Exploratory task 3.4
- •Exploratory task 3.5
- •Exploratory task 3.6
- •Exploratory task 3.7
- •Exploratory task 3.8
- •Exploratory task 3.9
- •Exploratory task 3.10
- •When did it stop raining. A/How long hasn't it been raining? b/ When wasn't it raining?
- •You've been talking on the phone for two hours. A/ You've just stopped talking on the phone. B/ You started talking on the phone two hours ago.
- •Observation task 3.1
- •Input reading 4
- •Exploratory task 4.2 Try to give rules to the following language samples (all language samples are grammatically correct and have a certain sensible communicative message)
- •Exploratory task 4.3
- •Exploratory task 4.4
- •Stage of teaching (e.G. Material presentation, meaningful drill, communicative production etc)_________________________________________________________
- •Integrated task 4.1
- •Answer keys
- •Glossary of Grammar Terms
- •References and Further Reading
Input reading 2
Warming up discussion
List the features typical of written and spoken language grammar
Written language grammar |
Spoken language grammar |
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Approaches to grammar of speech
There are two major approaches to understanding grammar of speech: immediate constituent grammar (implies that the sentence exists as a ready-made structure) and finite state grammar (implies that the sentence is being constructed in the process of speech production).
Major assumptions of immediate constituents grammar are that sentences are made up of elements called “immediate constituents” (Bloomfield, 1933), that immediate constituents are in the hierarchy of relations and each lower-level constituent (Noun Phrase or Verb Phrase) is part of a higher-level constituent (Sentence). Graphical representation of immediate constituents is the tree diagram (Lyons, 1968)
S
NP VP
Poor John ran away
A more dynamic approach is given in the finite state grammar. Finite state grammar mechanism includes choice of the first element of the sentence, considerations of the bans on further steps, implementation of further steps towards the Target State and achievement of the Target State (D.Brazil.1995). Finite state grammar process is shown by the graph:
BanElement production
Prediction of the next steps
Next step production
Etc.
There can be a number of changes made during sentence construction:
A chain can be abandoned and a new one begins (re-planning). E.g. I have … I did it the other day.
An element can be repeated, as the whole chain might have not been planned successfully at all (winning the time). E.g. I am trying … trying to …
Speakers can backtrack to insert or alter material (false start). E.g. I saw … He saw me…
Speakers can substitute one element for another (self-correction). E.g. He and the group does … do not …
Speakers can stop the chain to insert an element and to continue towards the Target State (suspension). E.g. My plan … to overcome the enemy … and to overpower the defenses … should work well.
Speakers can introduce interactional elements to soften conversation (interaction). E.g. The teacher … you know … is that sort of a person … if you know what I mean …
Speakers can drop certain sentence elements, which are clear from the situation (ellipsis). E.g. Will write to you more soon.
The types of on-line amendments are shown on the graph
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Interaction |
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Re-planning |
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Winning the time |
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Initial State |
False starts |
Target State |
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Self-correction |
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Suspension |
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Ellipsis |
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Exploratory task 2.1
Read the following interactional chat and analyze on-line amendments in the grammar chain of the utterances:
There's a nice new postcard … a nice … well I don't know how new it is … it's been a while since I've been here … of a sunset … a new one …
It was on … it was John Forgan who took that one …
Yes it's really lovely … this years' … the Anderson's house …
I watched that film last night … remember that …did you see it …
You just saw the ashassina …assassination and … the man got shot him … they was … were following all the things … and all that …
(after G.Brown and G.Yule. 1997)