Lesson 3

Teacher Training Module II (Continued)

Dialog Expansion

Practice 2

Purpose: Most of the dialog expansion has been done as the dialog was taught. This is the ideal way of teaching the dialog because it makes it relevant, real and communicative. This part of the dialog expansion module will present additional expansion exercises and will discuss how to teach grammar.

Preparation: Already done as a part of dialog teaching.

Teaching:

Step 1: Introduce new vocabulary.

(This has already been done in teaching the dialog.)

Step 2: Model the first sentence.

Teacher: He's a (student's profession). (Pointing to a student.)

Step 3: Students repeat sentence.

Teacher: He's a __________.

Student: He's a __________.

Step 4: Students substitute new items

Teacher: She (pointing to another student).

Student: She's a (student's profession).

Teacher: I (pointing to herself).

Student: You're a teacher.

Teacher: You (pointing to student).

Student: I'm a __________.

Note: Generally it is best not to spend a lot of time explaining grammar. Adult students, however, are often very interested in learning about grammar. Some cultures, especially educated Southeast Asians, consider learning grammar an essential part of learning a language. Persons from these cultures will often think the teacher is not doing her fob if they are not learning grammar rules. To ignore the interest adults have in learning grammar or to relegate it to unimportance will often have negative effects on their readiness to participate in other learning activities. To spend large amounts of time explaining the grammar of the language, on the other hand, will not likely help the students to learn to speak. The ideal solution is to make explanations brief, to use well-chosen examples, and to avoid sophisticated grammatical terminology. Students preparing for admission to a university should have special grammar classes to prepare them for the entrance examination.

Grammar:

In Lesson 3 the teacher might point out that:

I'm is short for I am.

He's is short for he is.

She's is short for she is.

You're is short for you are.

When we speak we usually use the short form and when we write we usually use the long form.

Questions are made by putting the verb is, are at the front of the sentence.

You are married.
Are you married?

For other verbs you have to add do.

You have children.
Do you have children?

The do does not have any translation. It just makes the sentence a question. It should not be confused with the do of I do my work. For the remaining activities in Lesson 3 you should simply follow the procedures outlined in previous modules.

Practice 6: Follow procedures in Module V.

Practice 8: Follow procedures in Module III.