Notice gaps in language knowledge

 

When learners focus seriously on the shortcomings in their language, they then realize gaps in their knowledge. They can even discover these gaps when participating in the Dictogloss method - learning grammar integrated into English communication, currently this method is widely used in language centers. Older brother.

The following is an example of how the Dictogloss method works.

In an A2 level adult English class, the teacher puts sentences in the passive voice of the simple present about the olive harvest. After creating interest in the lesson's topic among the students, the teacher reads the following paragraph at a natural pace:

There are an estimated nine million olive trees in Palestine, which can produce tons of oil. Green ripe olives are picked in October by thousands of Palestinian population participating in the olive harvest. Once the harvest is completed, fresh olives are sent to the press. Olive oil is then exactred from the olives and packaged in yellow gallons. The product is not only sold in Palestine but also shipped around the world.

(There are an estimated nine million olive trees in Palestine, which could produce tons of oil. Green olives are harvested in October by thousands of Palestinian farmers. Once harvested, fresh olives are transferred to the press. Olive oil is then extracted from the olives and packaged in yellow gallons. The product is not only sold in Palestine but also shipped worldwide).

The teacher checked the learner's general understanding of the text, then read it again. This time learners will write down the key words they hear. Students are asked to work in groups to try to reconstruct the text by memorizing it as closely as possible to the original. Then, each group will compare their results with other groups to come to a common decision. Finally, the teacher will project the text they just read earlier onto the board.

During this activity, learners used their language knowledge and worked out the meaning and form of the language. This is a way for them to notice the "gaps" they hear in their English notes. This process can lead to a restructuring of their conscious overview of the language system.

How can learners focus on both meaning and form?

Although we can deduce the rules and forms of language, when communicating to convey a message, no matter how fluently, we lack grammatical accuracy.

Here is an imprecise but communicative example:

• Man kills cat. (The man who killed the cat).

Through the above sentence, we know that a man was involved in killing a cat. The lack of grammatical precision that results in the above statement can be understood in any of the following cases:

1. A man killed a cat. (A man killed the cat).

2. A cat was killed by a man. (A cat was killed by a man).

3. A man killed cats. (A man killed many cats).

4. The man may have killed his cats. (The man may have killed his cat).

"Grammaticalisation" is a term coined by Dianne Larsen-Freeman and Marti Anderson in the book "Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching" (2011). This term means that learners focus on semantics and grammatical forms simultaneously.

Learners can express themselves accurately when they learn to add grammar to reading methods such as: tense signs (past, present and future), articles (the/a/an/- ), aspect (continuous or perfect), prepositions (on, at, in, etc.),