ASSIGNMENT 2

Language related tasks

(750 - 1000 words)

Aim
In this assignment you are required to analyse the meaning, form and pronunciation of specific
language items. As a practising teacher, you will need to do this whenever you are preparing to
clarify language. Anticipating problems learners may have with the language and finding suitable
solutions is also crucial at the planning stage. This assignment will give you extra practice in analysing
language as well as preparing how to deal with learners’ difficulties.

Comments:

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Resubmi
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Fai
Pass on resubmission
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 Where do I go to research grammar and lexis (vocabulary) for this assignment?

● If you are completely new to teaching you may want to read the
introductory units on language awareness on the site, look here.
● For step by step guides to researching grammar look here
● For step by step guides to researching lexis look here
● For an introduction for techniques to clarify meaning/use, form and
pronunciation go the section on the site called clarifying language

Task 1

This is a text taken from a pre-intermediate coursebook. Read the text and then

From: Clare, A., & Wilson, J. J. (2011). Speakout. Pre-intermediate/Students book (with activebook). Pearson/Logman.

Task One (for an example answer see the final page of this document)

Analyse the meaning, form, phonology and how you would check that the learners had
understood the meaning / use in the context of the following items from the text:

1. Scientists have studied the people of Okinawa since 1970

2. They have a saying `hara hachibu`

Words/phrase Meaning Form Phonology

 .

Techniques to check meaning and use…

Words/phrase Meaning Form Phonology

Techniques to check meaning and use…

Task 2
You are teaching an Intermediate class and they are having a discussion about cultural differences

A student asks: “Can I say ‘In Japan, you don’t have to tip waiters because it’s rude’?
You say: “In that situation, you use ‘mustn’t’ tip the waiters.”

a) How would you help the students to understand the difference between ‘mustn’t’ and ‘don’t
have to’?

b) You notice a lot of students are saying ‘You mustn’t to tip the waiters’. How would you help
them with the form?

c) You notice a lot of students are pronouncing both ‘t’s in ‘mustn’t’. How would you help them
pronounce it?

Task 3

You are teaching an upper-intermediate class and they are reading a text about identity fraud.

One student points to this section of the text and asks ‘What does ‘end up’ mean?’

You say: ‘It means that you finally shouted – you didn’t intend to but this was the final outcome
because of everything that happened before.

1. How would you check that the learners had understood the meaning and use of ‘end up’ in
this context?
2. What information do the learners need to know about the form? (What kind of lexical item
is it? What comes after it?)
3. What do the learners need to know about the pronunciation of it? How would you help
them with this?

Task One: Example answer

Example sentence Meaning and use in the Form: Pronunciation
context:

It might be because of To say that this is

their diet. possible, but we don’t
know why they live Note: ‘might’ can be
longer. stressed in the sentence.
Note: the infinitive form is The ‘t’ in ‘it’ isn’t usually
Scientists are making used without `to` after pronounced and the final
suggestions or talking modal verbs ‘t’ in ‘might’ changes to
about possibilities. Subj + modal verb + /p/ so it is pronounced /ɪ
They’re not very sure. ˈmaɪpbiː/
infinitive
/maɪtbiː/
Stress on ‘might’ -
possible elision of /t/

Techniques to checking meaning and use:

CCQ’s:
Do Okinawins live longer? Answer: Yes.
Do we know why? Answer: No
Is it possible it’s because of their diet? Answer: Yes.
How possible? 50%? 80%? Answer: Probably about 30 – 50%

Further checking questions:

What’s another way to say ‘might’? Answer: Maybe / perhaps
Can you say that in a sentence? Answer ‘Maybe it’s because of their diet’
What other reason might there be? Answer: Students own ideas e.g. They might live longer because…

Questions
● Are the scientists sure about it? (No) / How sure are the scientists? (A little/not much)
● Ask the students what else might be the cause (It might be because of …)
● What is another way of saying this? (It could be …)
● Put in on a scale between very sure and not sure - use a might emoji
● Act it out by shrugging/using your voice