ESL Ideas and
Practices - Session VI |
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Verbs!
THE ADVANCED STUDENT
Certainly, classifying language students is not as easy as placing them in three levels. However, advanced students, in my opinion, are those who are able to learn independently. They can read and follow instructions, and their study skills are likely to give them access to resources (libraries, magazines, newspapers, Internet, etc...) that lower level students do not have. The ESL instructor, in this case, serves as a facilitator - someone available to clarify, direct, and evaluate, rather than someone who has to oversee every step and look over the student's shoulder.
Functional Conversation/Writing
Advanced students have functional conversational skills. Many of the same techniques used for lower levels still apply (transformation drill, dialogue development and practice, dialogue transformation), but advanced students can be challenged to create more material of their own, to work together on functional projects, and to find real-life applications to everything they are doing in class.
Provide advanced students with plenty of opportunities to explore. Work WITH them in developing exercises that they can apply outside to class. Send them to libraries, have them call businesses inquiring about different options, have them write letters to government officials, have them summarize newspaper reports, develop oral debates over local issues, video-tape TV segments and require response to controversial ideas (probably illegal, dunno...), have them interview people in their career area and report what they discovered. Challenge their thinking and push them to grow!
Functional Reading
One very rewarding thing about working with advanced students is that the role of reading is reversed. Beginning students are enticed to read by the nature of the content used by instructors. The beginning student's reading activities are designed to teach her to read and interpret meaning. Every attempt is made at early stages to give students familiar content in order to facilitate the acquisition of language structures, meaning, and vocabulary.
Advanced students, on the other hand, know how to read. Therefore, instructors can direct them to unfamiliar content so that they can learn life skills through reading.
Does his child have A.D.D.? Have him read about it. Does she want to become a computer repair person? Have her report on what she would spend her time doing and what her prospects would be locally. Do they want to know more about their country's history/culture/geography? Have them read about it!
ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING
Academic reading and writing skills have many things in common that advanced students can depend upon as they develop more sophistication in their expression. These skills should be developed slowly in the intermediate levels and broadened in the advanced phase. Students who manage to manipulate the language of the following patterns in English are likely to have no problems in a job or in school, no matter what the demands.
Thinking Patterns in English
Most academic writing (and, logically, the reading that follows), is developed around certain predictable patterns that can be taught and practiced, as follows:
The purpose of most descriptive writing is to recreate or build a scene which appeals to the senses.
Descriptive language is filled with adjectives, spatial relationships, active and descriptive verbs, vivid colors, smells, textures and imagination. Good description paints a picture. It requires lots of detail, detail, detail!
Sample Descriptive Sentences:
- The soft fragrance from the apple blossoms met me as my feet sank into the grass surrounding the orchard.
- Tall buildings, honking cars, the smell of hot dogs and perfume, puddles of left over rain, and rushing people struck me all at once as I got out of the taxi in front of the hotel. I knew I was in New York.
Descriptive language also often follows a spatial order. Therefore, prepositional phrases and other references to relative positioning are common in the language of description.
ESL students will benefit from learning to use and punctuate prepositional phrases in different parts of the sentence.
Sample Prepositional Phrases
(Preposition + Noun)
Next to...
Adjacent to...
Against the ...
Over/above the ...
Below/under the ...
In front of ...
Behind the ...
Halfway between the ...Click Here to Read a Sample Descriptive Essay
Possible Exercises for Descriptive Writing (Oral and Written)
1. What descriptive terms were used in the passage?
2. Substitute some of the weaker verbs in the passage for stronger, more descriptive ones.
3. What is the author describing?
4. Expand each aspect described by giving more detail.
5. Work with a friend. Describe something without identifying its name. Let your friend guess.
6. Express several sentences using prepositional phrases to describe the spatial relationships between two or more concepts/things.
7. Exchange descriptions with a friend. Talk about a person, a place, or a thing. Ask as many questions as you can (10 minimum) until you have a good "picture" of what is being described.
Narrative writing tells a story and describes events in chronological order.
Because narratives describe events in chronological order, they use the same types of connectors found in process language (see below). However, the goal of narration is to tell a story or to describe the elements of an event whereas process details the steps taken to accomplish a goal.
Sample Narrative Sentences
Before the sailors left shore, they checked and rechecked the equipment and hugged their newly-found friends good-bye... After they had been at sea for four days, they were jolted by a loud screech in the engines. Then, for a few minutes, everyone, everything was silent.
Some Time Indicators
(Add your own)before (that)
after (that)
then
while
as
as soon as
when
finally
next
Click Here to Read a Sample Narrative Essay
Possible Exercises for Working with Narrative Writing
1. Why is thepassage a narration?
2. How is the narration developed (what joins each
part/paragraph to another)?
3. What time connectors are used?
4. What does the write mean by "......."?
5. What do you think makes a narration interesting?
6. Exchange stories with a friend about something
funny or scary that has happened to you, and write a summary of the story.
Process writing teaches or explains the steps involved in reaching a goal. Process usually describes steps in chronological order. Therefore, terms often show time relationships which are similar to those used in narration
Some Process Indicators
(Add your own)before (that)
as
after (that)
as soon as
prior to (that)
while
first, second, etc...
when
next
preceded/followed by
then
Sample Process Language
- I know you want to get married, but before that, you must learn to respect a woman.
- First, learn the dialogue; after that, work with the reading.
- By the time the cement hardened, we were ready to paint the frame.
- As we begin to mature, we learn to appreciate the differences in others.
- Transitions are often preceded by a semicolon.
- Write your first draft; then worry about making changes.
Click Here to Read a Sample Process Essay
Possible Exercises for Working with Narrative Writing
1. Find the process terms used in the passage describing the process of ....
2. Describe the process in completing a task you can perform easily (changing a tire, baking a cake, getting packed for a trip, approaching someone for an interview ...)
3. Practice each of the process terms you learned in this section at least 5 times .
Classification writing breaks down a concept into its parts or groups parts into major categories
When people classify a concept, they want to help you understand that concept better by breaking into understandable and simple parts, or they want you to help you by grouping different parts into major categories so that you can grasp the relationships among the parts.
Sample Classification Sentences
- Each unit is made up of four classes.
- One type of mammal lives in the ocean.
- For example, whales are sea mammals.
- Another type lives on land.
- Each system is composed of many cells.
- A computer consists of a mother board and other components.
- Anger represents a form of fear.
Classification uses some terms in common with definition (see below) because classification, in fact, helps define a concept by breaking it down or grouping its parts.
Verbal Terms is made up of ...
consists of ...
represents ...
is part of ...
is composed of ..
Connecting Term one ... is ...
consists of ...
another ... is ...
for example ...Click Here to Read a Sample Classification Essay
Possible Exercises for Working with Narrative Writing
1. Why is this a classification passage/essay?
2. What was being classified?
3. How was the concept classified?
4. Draw a diagram showing the classification.
5. What classification terms can you find?
6. Use several sentences with those and other classification terms.
Comparison and contrast writing increases the understanding of a concept by showing similarities or differences between it and another related concept.
Comparing or contrasting two or more items requires that you show similarities and/or differences between or among them.
Sample Comparison/Sontrast Sentences
- English speakers speak faster than I do.
- Frank loves the snow; on the other hand, his wife loves the beaches and warm sun.
- The United States has citizens from all over the world; similarly, Brazil developed a colorful and exciting culture by accepting people of many different nationalities to live in the country and become citizens.
Adjectives and adverbs use comparative forms or phrases.
1 syllable words (that don't end in "y") add an ER+THAN
words with 2 or more syllables add MORE+adjective+THAN
Example:
Colorado has taller mountains than Texas.
The geography here is more interesting than the one described in the story.
Similarity Terms
Just as ... so
In the same way
Similarly
Also
LikewiseContrast Terms
In contrast
Unlike
On the other hand
However
Whereas ..., ...
Click Here to Read a Sample Comparison/Contrast Essay
Possible Exercises for Working with Narrative Writing
1. Talk to a friend and compare your husbands, wives, children or other people in your family.
2. Talk to a friend and compare your goals for the future.
3. Talk to a friend and compare your interests in life.
After talking for awhile, write about the two concepts you compared. There are several ways (look ahead) to organize your comparisons . How was the previous essay developed?
Definition writing provides a simple or complex explanation of a term or concept. It also may offer a unique perspective on a common term or concept.
Common Definition Questions that Are Answered in Writing/Reading
What is a ........?
What does ......... mean?
What do you mean by .....?
Students will benefit by filling the blanks above with any word they don't understand ("What is insulation? What does 'moist' mean? What do you mean by 'irritating'?").Simple Definitions
Simple definitions usually use the verb TO BE, followed by a general category and ending with a more specific aspect of the term.
Example: A membrane is a sheet of tissue which covers or lines a surface, or divides an organ into lobes.
A membrane IS... => verb "BE" ...a sheet of tissue...=> general category ...which covers or lines a surface, or divides an organ into lobes. => more specific information
NOTE on more than you want to know: When you express simple definitions, the part of the sentence that provides specific information is an adjective clause (we'll cover those some other time...). That clause usually begins with THAT or WHICH, but it can also begin with other relative pronouns, depending on the information being provided (something, someone, place, time, etc ...). =>A membrane is a sheet of tissue [which covers or lines a surface, or divides an organ into lobes.]
Sometimes a person wants to provide more than a simple definition. Possible reasons to express an expanded definition are to provide more in depth information about a term and to provide a different way (sentimental, humorous, technical) of looking at something.
Click Here to Read Two Sample Definition Essays
Possible Exercises for Working with Definition Writing
1. Find the main idea in each of the support paragraphs of a definition essay.
2. Identify adjective clauses in the essay and write similar sentences about other terms.
3. Write a conclusion for an unfinished definition passage..
4. Compile a set of terms relating to a topic that interests you (computers, medicine, math, nature, grammar, etc ...), and give them to a friend. Ask your friend to ask you a definition for each term; exchange roles after five words.
5. Think of a new, perhaps funny way, to define any of the following terms:child
spouse
ESL teacher
president
ESL student
cars
Any other term ...
Good Cause/Effect writing creates a greater understanding of a concept through a discussion of the causes responsible for its being. It also may create an awareness of the effects produced by a concept.
Sample Classification Sentences
- Many illnesses are caused by the environment.
- Anger results from unexpressed hurt.
- She felt dumb because she didn't know the answer.
- The flu hit town; therefore, many got shots.
- People rarely succeed the first time, so they try and try again.
- If it freezes after a storm, the streets become very icy and dangerous.
- If a person insists on committing a crime, then she must be willing to endure punishment.
- People have screamed so loudly about child abuse that fewer professionals are willing to work with children.
- Schools can no longer solve all problems; as a result, parents are becoming more involved.
- Many citizens payers have become disillusioned with government; the result is that fewer are interested in voting.
Cause and effect language establishes real or possible relationships between an event or state and another even or state which is either its cause or its effect.
Verbal Terms
Connecting Terms is/are caused by ...
...results from
...affects
the result is that ...
causes if ... then ...because
thus
... therefore
so
so ... that
as a result ...
Click Here to Read a Sample Cause Effect Essay
Possible Exercises for Working with Definition Writing
1. Does this passage/essay discuss causes, effects, or both? Explain.
2. Find common cause/effect terms used in a passage.
3. Outline a cause/effect essay.
4. Explain how you feel about the effects of crime/drugs/working families/insects/
cultural differences/racism/anything else has on society.
5. Use three sentences of your own to apply the listed cause/effect terms.
6. Why do you think you are learning English? Why do some people have more difficulty than others?
7. Ask a few why questions and research the answers.
Argumentative writing, which includes argument, persuasion and explanatory writing, explains reasons why something is true, or defends and expressed point of view, or is designed to convince someone of something. Briefly stated, argument exposes another person to the writer's point of view.
Sample Argumentation Sentences
First, it is impossible to prove that you tried to pay us. Secondly, no one cares if it is true or not. You still owe us interest.
One reason people should divorce is that people who live together without loving each other produce a very negative environment for themselves and their children. Another reason is that divorced people help introduce more single options into the dating market.
While it is true that better diets produce better health in many patients, it is also true that better diets have not been proven to cure disease.
People think that they can fool others by saying what they do not believe. The fact is, they can't. They can only fool themselves.Terms used in this type of communication vary considerably, depending on what point is being made.
Samples of Argumentation ExpressionsFirst, second, etc...
One reason, ... another
Furthermore ...
In addition...
While (contrast)...
Although...
Now it is true that...
In fact...
... states that ...
the fact is that...
It is clear that...
The most important ... is that...Click Here to Read a Sample Argumentation Essay
Possible Exercises for Working with Definition Writing
1. Read a passage exposing an argument. What is the writer's argument or point of view? What is the purpose of the passage? How does the writer support his point of view (facts, opinions, examples ...)?
2. Think of something you feel strongly about. Write or talk to a friend to help that person to understand your point of view. Use argumentative language. Give examples. Have your friend give you the opposite point of view. Debate the issue.
Additional Suggestions for Writing?Reading Activities
- Groups: One group writes the first paragraph and passes it on. The other groups must add paragraphs that are interesting and supportive.
- Students provide the missing information in an essay that you present.
- Students identify the development styles used in each passage.
- Students rearrange information (sentences, paragraphs, expressions) to fit in the right place.
- Writing Jigsaw: Pieces of information go together to form a square. Be creative in making the squares fit.
- Students write the ending to a narration.
Some Activities for Academic Writing Development
- Students use a different colored pen/pencil to (1) write all information/detail that belongs together, (2) topic sentence, conclusion, support sentences.
- Students self-sorrect only one aspect at a time (enough detail? good grammar? good sturcture? interesting? meaningful?).
- Students exchange papers and correct each other. A student loses points if he misses a correction.
- Use cloze exercises for transition words/connectors
- Students write a passage on what makes a good passage.
- Students argue a different point of view than a peer presents