Type 1: Verb + Noun
1. Can you…..an eye on my car while I go in the shop? Keep
2. If we…..a mistake in the exam can we cross it out. Make
3. Whose turns is it to …the housework? Do
4. I’m going to…. a chance and ask her if she wants to go out somewhere. Take
5. I’ve tried telling him that I don’t want to see him again but he doesn’t seem to be…the message. Getting.
6. The mountaineers…. the summit on the fourth day of their ascent. Reached
7. I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately. I keep…. my temper with everyone. Losing
8. You should try to….more attention in class. Pay
9. Can I….an appointment to see the doctor today?
a. make
b. accept
c. invite
10. They’ve….all of their friends to the wedding.
a. refused
b. made
c. invited
11. Have you….any arrangements for the weekend?
a. Booked
b. Made
c. accepted
12. I’ve… a table for us at a Vietnamese restaurant.
a. Booked
b. Refused
c. made
13. My boss wasn’t happy when I refused her…to dinner.
a. Booking
b. Invitation
c. arrangements
14. Carlos has made….to go to Thailand with his girlfriend.
a. Invitations
b. Appointments
c. Plans
15. She’s good at writing stories for children and is always keen to…up new plots.
a. Do
b. Get
c. Make
d. Take
16. The son assured their father that they would work hard to…out the treasure.
a. Find
b. Sort
c. Seek
d. Try
17. I ….a lot of presents for my birthday.
a. Got
b. Became
c. Become
d. have
Type 2: Verb + Adverb
1. It’s going to be impossible to get this finish in time.
a. Highly
b. Deeply
c. Virtually
d. Severely
2. She was temped to resign immediately.
a. Sorely
b. Fatally
c. Perfectly
d. Highly
3. Your car needs servicing. It sounds terrible
a. Severely
b. Desperately
c. Sorely
d. Deeply
4. I remember asking you to post that letter.
a. Eagerly
b. Perfectly
c. Distinctly
d. Virtually
5. He regrets sending you that mail.
a. Fatally
b. Bitterly
c. Distinctly
d. Severely
6. We await your replay and hope that your response will be positive.
a. Deeply
b. Desperately
c. Eagerly
d. Distinctly
7. I don’t know why you could not follow his directions. They were clear.
a. Highly
b. Deeply
c. Virtually
d. Perfectly
8. He was very sorry about being late and apologized .
a. Interminably
b. Deeply
c. Profusely
d. eagerly
Type 3: Noun + Verb
1. Bikin sendiri
Type 4: Adjective + Noun
1. Don’t talk to him about politics because it’s like a rag to a bull.
a. Blue
b. White
c. Red
d. black
2. she lost the company a lot of many last week and as a result has got a mark against her name.
a. red
b. blue
c. white
d. black
3. you’ll notice that as soon as the children come home from school, the dog will jump up and show its great ¬ for them
a. infection
b. affection
c. affectation
d. protection
4. There is a huge in the local paper about the special offers available in the store this weekend.
a. Announcement
b. Display
c. Notice
d. advertisement
5. Sociolinguists maintain that some of the film on show today have created a generation of children.
a. Frighten
b. Afraid
c. Fearful
d. Frightening
6. He tends to forget things very quickly and behaves more and more like the typical professor.
a. Clear-minded
b. Absent-minded
c. Well-minded
d. Cool-minded
Type 5: Adverb + adjective
1. The election is very DELICATELY BALANCED at the moment. Either party could win.
2. The new production of 'Hamlet' was ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVED by the first night audience.
3. She's too HIGHLY QUALIFIED for the job -- we don't want someone with a degree.
4. The house is IDEALLY SITUATED, ten minutes from the sea, and ten minutes to the mountains.
5. If you think I'm going to agree to that, you're BADLY MISTAKEN
6. The disco was already DANGEROUSLY OVERCROWDED when the fire started.
7. His words were CAREFULLY CHOSEN to ensure they appealed to different sections of the audience.
8. The President has been CLOSELY ASSOCIATED with the idea from the start, so he's very anxious that it is a success.
For each sentence, choose the best word or phrase to complete the gap from the choices below.
1. The cost of a new house in the UK has become high over the last few years.
2. The drug company should not have put a new product on the market with fatal side-effects.
3. After a warm start to the month, the weather in the second half of June was cold.
4. Even when the cost of running the event were subsidised by local government, tickets were still in the region of fifty pounds.
5. For the last ten years Malcolm Sargant's gossip column in the Daily Planet has been read by thousands of readers.
6. To award a man like Thomas Green with the greatest lifetime achievement award seems unfair.
7. Our test this week is quite challenging in places but the one we got last week was easy.
8. There were some exciting moments in the second half of the film but the first ninety minutes were slow in places.
9. Hugh Tomlinson is believed to be the best director of his generation in Hollywood at the moment.
10. I am appalled by the thoughtless attitude of people who needlessly endanger other people's lives by using mobiles while driving.
11. This holiday offer does seem attractive but I think we are going to have to pass on it because of the high cost.
12. After all her hard work, Martha was disappointed when she got a grade B in her CAE exam.
Your answers
1. A
astronomically B
totally C
utterly D
blatantly
2. A
partially B
particularly C
potentailly D
painfully
3. A
unfortunately B
unseasonably C
unpredictably D
astronomically
4. A
tremendously B
avidly C
heavily D
atronomically
5. A
avidly B
vividly C
heavily D
tremendously
6. A
painfully B
blatantly C
widely D
bitterly
7. A
laughingly B
humorously C
highly D
absurdly
8. A
massively B
astronomically C
utterly D
painfully
9. A
thoroughly B
widely C
greatly D
massively
10. A
tremendously B
terribly C
awfully D
utterly
11. A
avidly B
absolutely C
irresistably D
heavily
12. A
painfully B
bitterly C
completely D
totally
Showing posts with label Error Analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Error Analysis. Show all posts
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Using World Literatures to Promote Intercultural Competence in Asian EFL Learners
Derrick Nault
Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan
Reviewed by: Khumaidah
Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan
Reviewed by: Khumaidah
In a June 2006 critiquing standard approaches for teaching literature to English learners in Japanese university settings, Derrick Nault reports on his findings “Using World Literatures to Promote Intercultural Competence in Asian EFL Learners” which focuses on the specific technique to improve students’ English competence by using an intercultural approach-a new concept as an alternate pedagogical framework. He describes the concept by doing three specific techniques include in Culture Clashes, English Snapshots and Contrastive Analysis. This finding is fascinating and understandable to be applied.
Derrick Nault, in his study “Using World Literatures to Promote Intercultural Competence in Asian EFL Learners” describes three specific approaches as his technique in improving students’ abilities. The Culture Clashes as the first step of the technique is done by demonstrating a clash of cultural values or conceptions based on a scene from a story. For the following step- The English Snapshots, writer use passages from literary works to raise learners’ awareness of non-standard varieties of English. Referring to the last step-The Contrastive Analysis, learners involve comparing the cultural assumptions in a text and contrasting features of particular cultural. The writer believed that this last step is one of the best ways to draw attention to the importance of culture in the communication process.
Regarding to the four most common methods for teaching English-language literature in Japan-stylistics, literary criticism, the English language teaching (ELT) approach, and the yakudoku method (“translation method”), the intercultural approach seems to modification of the English language teaching (ELT) approach. Derrick Nault claims that no single method can be used in all contexts, “As teachers and students vary in learning styles, it is up to the instructor to decide what is most effective and practical for a given educational context. Hence, the weak points of standard approaches should be kept in mind and strive to involve students in their own learning, pique their interest in reading, raise their cultural awareness, and improve their language skills”. From his argument it is as if he was not satisfy with the effectiveness of the common method used in Japan but in my opinion Derrick Nault actually just want to find suitable method for his students although he must examine hardly with insufficient sources and references because this technique is still the new one.
Derrick Nault tells that while language teaching traditionally has treated language and culture separately, more recently ELT specialists have begun emphasizing that linguistic competence alone is insufficient for a learner to be truly proficient in a language. What is also needed, they argue, is an understanding of the culture in which the target language is used. But Seelye in (1997) said that “the study of language cannot be divorced from the study of culture, and vice versa. The wherewithal to function in another culture requires both prowess in the language and knowledge of the culture” (p. 23). Then Derrick Nault inform that an intercultural approach to ELT is advantageous in that it integrates both language and culture into lessons, more adequately preparing learners for real world communicative contexts. Responding to his argument, I assume that this approach is designed to be interesting and challenge method in which teacher and learners should be more active than usual because as my experience, learning with the real world context or condition will be more joyful and easy to understand the lesson. We can see how and when we use the language.
In the last discussion, Derrick Nault tells,” I have yet to gather concrete data on the effectiveness of the teaching techniques I have just outlined. Nonetheless, I would judge my intercultural competence-oriented literature lessons to be successful”. Besides, he has even had students express a desire to visit African and other Asian nations as a result of lessons based on world literatures. What all of this means for actual language acquisition is difficult to say, but an intercultural approach to ELT and literature does appear to intrigue and motivate learners and this can only help improve their English proficiency. It is also one of proof of intercultural effectiveness in literature class. Due to incomplete Derrick Nault’s concrete data, I wonder more about the effectiveness of intercultural approach. In short, I am interested in this new approach.
In conclusion, the intercultural approach which Derrick Nault recognized to improve students’ English competence seems to be good invention. The procedure of the technique is understandable enough. The reason that the research give in supporting his argument also logic but there is some suggestion for further research, it is better for the next research to provide detailed data and more supporting idea in order to make the reader more attract and fully understand with the procedure of the technique.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Values in English Language Teaching
Review of
Values in English Language Teaching
Author : Bill Johnston
Copyright : Book edition; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 2003
E-book edition; Taylor & Francis e-Library. 2008
Pages : xii + 139
A. Introduction
This book, Values in English Language Teaching, explores and explains the complex and often contradictory moral opinion or view of the language classroom, gradually revealing how teaching is not a matter of clear-cut choices but of wrestling with problems and making difficult decisions in situations often given with conflict. The author of this book, Johnston, examines the underlying values that teachers hold as individuals and as members of their profession, and demonstrates how those values is reflected in the real world of language classrooms. Matters addressed include connections between the moral and political dimensions in English language teaching, and between values and religious beliefs; relationships between teacher identity and values; the meaning of professionalism; and how it is associated with morality and values; the ways in which teacher development is a moral issue; and the marginality of English language teaching.
The focus of this book is on the values and morals that play a role in English language teaching (ELT), primarily concerning the role of the teacher. The author cautions the reader by stating that he is not in way using this book as a soapbox for imposing his personal values. Rather, the arguments of the book are taken from real-life examples in an attempt to raise English language teachers’ consciousness concerning their own values in the decisions they make concerning their teaching.
B. Content
I. Chapter One
In this chapter, the writer sets out the basic claim that he substantiate throughout the book: that ELT is a value-laden occupation; that the values underlying it are complex, conflicting, and rooted in the details of context; and that it is important to bring to consciousness the moral dimensions of English teaching.
The author gives a definition of important terms such as values and morals from a general educational perspective as well as in the context of English language instruction. The rationale for this book is that every teacher has a set of values that determines how he/she handles the various that occur in the classroom, but until now, there has not been a focus on such issues in the English language classroom. Based on the premise that it is impossible to teach without values, the author contends that “it is only by confronting the moral complexity and ambiguity of our teaching that we can hope to identify the good and right things to do in any given set of circumstances, that is, to know the right way to teach”.
Then the author ends this chapter by surveying existing research on the moral dimensions of teaching in general education and by suggesting that in some ways ELT is comparable but that in others it has its own peculiar moral aspects that must be explored and be understood on its own terms.
II. Chapter Two
This chapter focuses on moral decisions that English language teachers must make as they interact with students, with the curriculum and with their role as a representative of their school. These categories include such issues as classroom rules, teachers’ expectations of their students, cross-cultural issues between the culture of the teacher and that of the students, values in the textbook, choosing which variety of English will be taught and the teacher’s role as agent of the school or other institution versus the teacher to the students. Perhaps the most important argument made in this chapter is that teachers cannot make general, blanket decisions on these issues, but that decisions must be made based on the teacher’s own values along with how these values interact with each individual context or situation.
This chapter contains the author test of the moral dimensions of ELT classroom interaction. This includes things that teachers and students say and do, the ways in which they interact, and the materials they use. Johnston begins by taking a detailed look at the moral meanings encoded in examples of classroom discourse, focusing on four aspects: rules and regulations, curricular substructure, expressive morality, and voice. Then he looks at three aspects of the ELT curriculum that are charged with values: values in the textbook, moral choices that have to be made in pronunciation teaching, and the clash of values that underlies the process-product debate in the teaching of writing. Last, he analyzes an important yet often overlooked moral dynamic: the clash between the teacher’s role as individual and teacher and her position as de facto representative of the institution in and for which she teaches.
III. Chapter Three
In this chapter, the author explains the relationship of values with politics in ELT. The author defines politics as “anything that has to do with power and the control of resources of every conceivable kind.” (p. 53) He identifies and discusses five major areas where ELT is affected by politics: language education associated with colonization, the imposition of the English language on indigenous peoples, the education of immigrants and refugees, the use of the English language in the advancement of technology (for example the internet) and the use of English in the process of globalization. The author presents one potential approach to the problems that come with the politics of ELT: critical pedagogy, which is defined as education that has social change as its desired outcome. He cautions, however, that such an approach still requires certain moral choices which some may not find appropriate.
The author analyzes the moral aspects of an example of critical pedagogy in action in an ESL setting, and then he considers the moral underpinnings of the question of whether critical pedagogy can be enacted in EFL contexts. After presenting a short critique of critical pedagogy from the standpoint of values, he analyze the central Preface x moral dilemma that dwells in the political dimension of ELT: the clash between the good inherent in the act of teaching someone another language and our participation through this teaching in global processes of cultural, linguistic, and economic imperialism.
IV. Chapter Four
This chapter presents an in-depth analysis of the moral significance of one aspect of teachers’ work: testing and assessment. He begins by considering the value-laden nature of evaluation. He then looks at the moral dimensions of widely accepted forms of student evaluation practiced in ELT programs. The author moves on to consider the issues of values raised by standardized tests such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the moral dilemmas that inhere in alternative forms of as-assessment.
The author presents two paradoxes that are a part of testing in ELT. The first is that testing will always be subjective regardless of the desire to make it objective. The second is that most teachers feel the need to evaluate their students, yet do not like giving tests for various reasons. There are several ways that testing is value-laden: it places a value on students (i.e. a grade), it compares students to others, it can affect their present and future lives and lastly, despite what one might think, testing is not just about the content being tested, but it includes the real world surrounding the student.
The author also argues that the distinction between formative and summative evaluation is rather blurry. The next section of this chapter explores various types of assessment, including how assessment is related to the teacher-student relationship, how to assess a student’s knowledge of the language, and even going beyond the student’s knowledge to assess the student’s effort, participation and attitude. The author also raises the dilemma of determining who is a good student and who is a bad student. The next section tackles standardized testing, and in particular TOEFL, claiming that the major problem with such tests is that it is impersonal and does not take into account any individual circumstances.
The final section of this chapter discusses the issue of alternative or authentic assessment, including such things as journals, portfolios, and other types of writing assignments. While the author admits that he believes this latter form of assessment to be more desirable, he acknowledges that it is also value-laden. The primary argument of the author is that the educational experience is contextual and individual, and assessment should also follow suit. The author closes this chapter by posing the question of whether morally justifiable forms of evaluation are possible.
V. Chapter Five
The author, Bill Johnston, considers three facets of teacher identity that particularly bound up with values and moral judgment. They are teacher-student relations, the professional role of the teacher and the place of religious beliefs in the classroom. The first argument is that each teacher will face the moral dilemma of how much to become involved in students’ lives. Some involvement is inevitable, but much of the teacher-student relationship is based on moral choices. Another choice teachers must make is to determine the balance between the authority and respect as the teacher and yet remain approachable to the students.
The issue of professionalism raises the question of how English language teachers see themselves, as well as how others (e.g. administrators and other colleagues) see English language teachers. Religion plays a part in teacher identity for several reasons. The author presents the historical background on religion and education in general. It is also noted that teachers’ personal beliefs do affect how they conduct their classes. Others may even make moral choices in deciding whether to talk about their religious beliefs and practices. Lastly, there are the issue of students’ beliefs and how teachers must prepare to students’ beliefs that is different from their.
VI. Chapter Six
The author raises the issue of teacher development as a moral choice. The author has defined teacher development from a European perspective. It is professional and personal growth “that teachers themselves undertake and that is guided by the teachers concerned.” (p. 120). This is in contrast to the typical North American teacher development which is usually conducted by a teacher educator, presented to teachers. Teachers make a moral choice for teacher development in order to become better teachers, to understand their students, what occurs in their classroom, and simply to care for themselves, not as teachers, but as individual people.
Teachers have been engaging in their own research over the last several years with the idea that university researchers are too removed from the classroom, allowing the teacher to gather information and then to make sense of the data. This type of research promotes collaboration with both colleagues and learners. The author states that this type of research brings with it a set of values about teaching and further allows teachers to explore the interaction of morals in the classroom that may not be apparent to outside researchers. One of the major themes of this chapter is the perception of ELT, on the part of the English language teacher and the outsider. One important question is: Is ELT a career/profession? The issue of the marginalization of ELT is also discussed. It is also expressed that many of the debates surrounding ELT and teaching as a whole are due to differing values. There is also the question of values in teacher education. Again, the author closes by considering some of the consequences of my perspective on language teaching for the practice of teacher education.
VII. Chapter Seven
This chapter contains a summary and conclusion to the book. The major dilemmas presented in the previous chapters are reviewed. In other words, this chapter constitutes a taking stock in which the author reflect on the significance of the analysis presented in this book for the practice of language teaching. In particular, he revisits and summarizes the principal moral dilemmas of the field that I have identified throughout the book; consider the foundational values underlying our decision making in situations of moral dilemmas; and revisit the teacher-student relation, the core of the moral life of the ELT classroom
C. Conclusion
Overall, this book is written with a nice balance between the scholarly support of current research literature and real-life situations of the author’s friends and colleagues. The author has written with a very personal style and very upfront about his own beliefs and experiences, without imposing those beliefs on the reader. The author admits that what is presented in this book is nothing new or surprising, but that English language teachers often avoid but need to address these issues openly. He also suggests that further research is needed on several of the issue raised in the book in order to understand further their impact on ELT.
The topics selected for this book are indeed important and popular topics in the profession of language teaching. While the author indicates that the book is addressed to practicing teachers, I believe this book would also be beneficial as a supplemental text in various types of language methods classes, in particular ESL/EFL methods. What is more, the author has included several discussion questions at the end of each chapter which would contribute to a classroom setting. The questions might also be used for introspection of the practicing teacher.
This book offers a new perspective on language teaching by placing moral issues--that is, questions of values--at the core of what it is to be a teacher. The teacher-student relation is central to this view, rather than the concept of language teaching as merely a technical matter of managing students acquisition of language. The message is that all language teaching involves an interplay of deeply held values, but in each teaching situation these values are played out in different ways. Johnston does not tell readers what to think, but only suggests what to think about.
D. Comment
Overall, I like this book because of its simplicity and the topic itself, writing style, and the way the author explains his ideas. The subject had been rarely discussed before in ELT field, and thus this thoughtful discussion is very welcome. I regard this as being at least as significant as the 'critical approach' movement. As an awareness-raiser, and as a link to broader issues, the book will work very well among teacher groups, in courses, and in the profession in general.
It seems for me that this book will make a great contribution to the field of ELT. The author is convincing in his argument that moral values are an extremely important part of teaching even when we are not necessarily aware that we are acting on them.
The examples are taken from real-life teaching situations. The complexity and messiness of these situations are always acknowledged, including both individual influences and broader social, cultural, and political forces at play in English language classrooms. By using actual situations as the starting point for analysis, Johnston offers a philosophy based in practice, and recognizes the primacy of lived experience as a basis for moral analysis. Examples come from teaching contexts around the world, including Brazil, Thailand, Poland, Japan, Central African Republic, Turkey, and Taiwan, as well as various settings in the United States.
I think this book will change the way teachers see language classrooms, their own or those of others. It is a valuable resource for teachers of ESL and EFL and all those who work with them, especially teacher educators, researchers, and administrators. As a candidate teacher, I get a lot of knowledge from this book. So many thing that I need to understand, because there are so many subject of discussion in this book that are new for me.
Values in English Language Teaching
Author : Bill Johnston
Copyright : Book edition; Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 2003
E-book edition; Taylor & Francis e-Library. 2008
Pages : xii + 139
A. Introduction
This book, Values in English Language Teaching, explores and explains the complex and often contradictory moral opinion or view of the language classroom, gradually revealing how teaching is not a matter of clear-cut choices but of wrestling with problems and making difficult decisions in situations often given with conflict. The author of this book, Johnston, examines the underlying values that teachers hold as individuals and as members of their profession, and demonstrates how those values is reflected in the real world of language classrooms. Matters addressed include connections between the moral and political dimensions in English language teaching, and between values and religious beliefs; relationships between teacher identity and values; the meaning of professionalism; and how it is associated with morality and values; the ways in which teacher development is a moral issue; and the marginality of English language teaching.
The focus of this book is on the values and morals that play a role in English language teaching (ELT), primarily concerning the role of the teacher. The author cautions the reader by stating that he is not in way using this book as a soapbox for imposing his personal values. Rather, the arguments of the book are taken from real-life examples in an attempt to raise English language teachers’ consciousness concerning their own values in the decisions they make concerning their teaching.
B. Content
I. Chapter One
In this chapter, the writer sets out the basic claim that he substantiate throughout the book: that ELT is a value-laden occupation; that the values underlying it are complex, conflicting, and rooted in the details of context; and that it is important to bring to consciousness the moral dimensions of English teaching.
The author gives a definition of important terms such as values and morals from a general educational perspective as well as in the context of English language instruction. The rationale for this book is that every teacher has a set of values that determines how he/she handles the various that occur in the classroom, but until now, there has not been a focus on such issues in the English language classroom. Based on the premise that it is impossible to teach without values, the author contends that “it is only by confronting the moral complexity and ambiguity of our teaching that we can hope to identify the good and right things to do in any given set of circumstances, that is, to know the right way to teach”.
Then the author ends this chapter by surveying existing research on the moral dimensions of teaching in general education and by suggesting that in some ways ELT is comparable but that in others it has its own peculiar moral aspects that must be explored and be understood on its own terms.
II. Chapter Two
This chapter focuses on moral decisions that English language teachers must make as they interact with students, with the curriculum and with their role as a representative of their school. These categories include such issues as classroom rules, teachers’ expectations of their students, cross-cultural issues between the culture of the teacher and that of the students, values in the textbook, choosing which variety of English will be taught and the teacher’s role as agent of the school or other institution versus the teacher to the students. Perhaps the most important argument made in this chapter is that teachers cannot make general, blanket decisions on these issues, but that decisions must be made based on the teacher’s own values along with how these values interact with each individual context or situation.
This chapter contains the author test of the moral dimensions of ELT classroom interaction. This includes things that teachers and students say and do, the ways in which they interact, and the materials they use. Johnston begins by taking a detailed look at the moral meanings encoded in examples of classroom discourse, focusing on four aspects: rules and regulations, curricular substructure, expressive morality, and voice. Then he looks at three aspects of the ELT curriculum that are charged with values: values in the textbook, moral choices that have to be made in pronunciation teaching, and the clash of values that underlies the process-product debate in the teaching of writing. Last, he analyzes an important yet often overlooked moral dynamic: the clash between the teacher’s role as individual and teacher and her position as de facto representative of the institution in and for which she teaches.
III. Chapter Three
In this chapter, the author explains the relationship of values with politics in ELT. The author defines politics as “anything that has to do with power and the control of resources of every conceivable kind.” (p. 53) He identifies and discusses five major areas where ELT is affected by politics: language education associated with colonization, the imposition of the English language on indigenous peoples, the education of immigrants and refugees, the use of the English language in the advancement of technology (for example the internet) and the use of English in the process of globalization. The author presents one potential approach to the problems that come with the politics of ELT: critical pedagogy, which is defined as education that has social change as its desired outcome. He cautions, however, that such an approach still requires certain moral choices which some may not find appropriate.
The author analyzes the moral aspects of an example of critical pedagogy in action in an ESL setting, and then he considers the moral underpinnings of the question of whether critical pedagogy can be enacted in EFL contexts. After presenting a short critique of critical pedagogy from the standpoint of values, he analyze the central Preface x moral dilemma that dwells in the political dimension of ELT: the clash between the good inherent in the act of teaching someone another language and our participation through this teaching in global processes of cultural, linguistic, and economic imperialism.
IV. Chapter Four
This chapter presents an in-depth analysis of the moral significance of one aspect of teachers’ work: testing and assessment. He begins by considering the value-laden nature of evaluation. He then looks at the moral dimensions of widely accepted forms of student evaluation practiced in ELT programs. The author moves on to consider the issues of values raised by standardized tests such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the moral dilemmas that inhere in alternative forms of as-assessment.
The author presents two paradoxes that are a part of testing in ELT. The first is that testing will always be subjective regardless of the desire to make it objective. The second is that most teachers feel the need to evaluate their students, yet do not like giving tests for various reasons. There are several ways that testing is value-laden: it places a value on students (i.e. a grade), it compares students to others, it can affect their present and future lives and lastly, despite what one might think, testing is not just about the content being tested, but it includes the real world surrounding the student.
The author also argues that the distinction between formative and summative evaluation is rather blurry. The next section of this chapter explores various types of assessment, including how assessment is related to the teacher-student relationship, how to assess a student’s knowledge of the language, and even going beyond the student’s knowledge to assess the student’s effort, participation and attitude. The author also raises the dilemma of determining who is a good student and who is a bad student. The next section tackles standardized testing, and in particular TOEFL, claiming that the major problem with such tests is that it is impersonal and does not take into account any individual circumstances.
The final section of this chapter discusses the issue of alternative or authentic assessment, including such things as journals, portfolios, and other types of writing assignments. While the author admits that he believes this latter form of assessment to be more desirable, he acknowledges that it is also value-laden. The primary argument of the author is that the educational experience is contextual and individual, and assessment should also follow suit. The author closes this chapter by posing the question of whether morally justifiable forms of evaluation are possible.
V. Chapter Five
The author, Bill Johnston, considers three facets of teacher identity that particularly bound up with values and moral judgment. They are teacher-student relations, the professional role of the teacher and the place of religious beliefs in the classroom. The first argument is that each teacher will face the moral dilemma of how much to become involved in students’ lives. Some involvement is inevitable, but much of the teacher-student relationship is based on moral choices. Another choice teachers must make is to determine the balance between the authority and respect as the teacher and yet remain approachable to the students.
The issue of professionalism raises the question of how English language teachers see themselves, as well as how others (e.g. administrators and other colleagues) see English language teachers. Religion plays a part in teacher identity for several reasons. The author presents the historical background on religion and education in general. It is also noted that teachers’ personal beliefs do affect how they conduct their classes. Others may even make moral choices in deciding whether to talk about their religious beliefs and practices. Lastly, there are the issue of students’ beliefs and how teachers must prepare to students’ beliefs that is different from their.
VI. Chapter Six
The author raises the issue of teacher development as a moral choice. The author has defined teacher development from a European perspective. It is professional and personal growth “that teachers themselves undertake and that is guided by the teachers concerned.” (p. 120). This is in contrast to the typical North American teacher development which is usually conducted by a teacher educator, presented to teachers. Teachers make a moral choice for teacher development in order to become better teachers, to understand their students, what occurs in their classroom, and simply to care for themselves, not as teachers, but as individual people.
Teachers have been engaging in their own research over the last several years with the idea that university researchers are too removed from the classroom, allowing the teacher to gather information and then to make sense of the data. This type of research promotes collaboration with both colleagues and learners. The author states that this type of research brings with it a set of values about teaching and further allows teachers to explore the interaction of morals in the classroom that may not be apparent to outside researchers. One of the major themes of this chapter is the perception of ELT, on the part of the English language teacher and the outsider. One important question is: Is ELT a career/profession? The issue of the marginalization of ELT is also discussed. It is also expressed that many of the debates surrounding ELT and teaching as a whole are due to differing values. There is also the question of values in teacher education. Again, the author closes by considering some of the consequences of my perspective on language teaching for the practice of teacher education.
VII. Chapter Seven
This chapter contains a summary and conclusion to the book. The major dilemmas presented in the previous chapters are reviewed. In other words, this chapter constitutes a taking stock in which the author reflect on the significance of the analysis presented in this book for the practice of language teaching. In particular, he revisits and summarizes the principal moral dilemmas of the field that I have identified throughout the book; consider the foundational values underlying our decision making in situations of moral dilemmas; and revisit the teacher-student relation, the core of the moral life of the ELT classroom
C. Conclusion
Overall, this book is written with a nice balance between the scholarly support of current research literature and real-life situations of the author’s friends and colleagues. The author has written with a very personal style and very upfront about his own beliefs and experiences, without imposing those beliefs on the reader. The author admits that what is presented in this book is nothing new or surprising, but that English language teachers often avoid but need to address these issues openly. He also suggests that further research is needed on several of the issue raised in the book in order to understand further their impact on ELT.
The topics selected for this book are indeed important and popular topics in the profession of language teaching. While the author indicates that the book is addressed to practicing teachers, I believe this book would also be beneficial as a supplemental text in various types of language methods classes, in particular ESL/EFL methods. What is more, the author has included several discussion questions at the end of each chapter which would contribute to a classroom setting. The questions might also be used for introspection of the practicing teacher.
This book offers a new perspective on language teaching by placing moral issues--that is, questions of values--at the core of what it is to be a teacher. The teacher-student relation is central to this view, rather than the concept of language teaching as merely a technical matter of managing students acquisition of language. The message is that all language teaching involves an interplay of deeply held values, but in each teaching situation these values are played out in different ways. Johnston does not tell readers what to think, but only suggests what to think about.
D. Comment
Overall, I like this book because of its simplicity and the topic itself, writing style, and the way the author explains his ideas. The subject had been rarely discussed before in ELT field, and thus this thoughtful discussion is very welcome. I regard this as being at least as significant as the 'critical approach' movement. As an awareness-raiser, and as a link to broader issues, the book will work very well among teacher groups, in courses, and in the profession in general.
It seems for me that this book will make a great contribution to the field of ELT. The author is convincing in his argument that moral values are an extremely important part of teaching even when we are not necessarily aware that we are acting on them.
The examples are taken from real-life teaching situations. The complexity and messiness of these situations are always acknowledged, including both individual influences and broader social, cultural, and political forces at play in English language classrooms. By using actual situations as the starting point for analysis, Johnston offers a philosophy based in practice, and recognizes the primacy of lived experience as a basis for moral analysis. Examples come from teaching contexts around the world, including Brazil, Thailand, Poland, Japan, Central African Republic, Turkey, and Taiwan, as well as various settings in the United States.
I think this book will change the way teachers see language classrooms, their own or those of others. It is a valuable resource for teachers of ESL and EFL and all those who work with them, especially teacher educators, researchers, and administrators. As a candidate teacher, I get a lot of knowledge from this book. So many thing that I need to understand, because there are so many subject of discussion in this book that are new for me.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Spoonerisms
The word spoonerism comes from William Archibald Spooner who was famous for making these verbal slips.
Spoonerisms are words or phrases in which letters or syllables get swapped. This often might be happens in slips of the tongue.
These are some of my collections;
Spoonerisms are words or phrases in which letters or syllables get swapped. This often might be happens in slips of the tongue.
These are some of my collections;
- Tease my ears (Ease my tears)
- A lack of pies (A pack of lies)
- It's roaring with pain (It's pouring with rain)
- Wave the sails (Save the whales)
- Chipping the flannel
- At the lead of spite
- Hiss and lear
- Go and shake a tower
- tips of the slung
- Prinderella and the Cince
- Beeping Sleauty
- The Pea Little Thrigs
- Goldybear and the Three Locks
- Ali Theeva and the Forty Babs
- Cat flap
- Bad salad
- Soap in your hole
- Mean as custard
- Plaster man
- Pleating and humming
- Trim your snow tail
- Birthington's washday
- Trail snacks
- Bottle in front of me
- Sale of two titties
- Rental Deceptionist
- Flock of bats
- Chewing the doors
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Lexical Collocation Errors Made by Students of English Study Program in Riau University
Author
Tony Anggadha
A student of English Study Program in Riau University
Abstract
Since vocabulary has been rarely given any attention by others student in my class, I want to concentrate in this article on the problems non-native speakers may have with English vocabulary use especially in the use of appropriate combinations of words. This is an aspect of language called collocation. This study presents empirical data verifying the informal observations and theoretic assertions that EFL learners produce 'unnatural' word combinations. Multiple choice test consist of 20 questions were given to ten students. They made 128 or 64 % incorrect answers, and only 72 or 36% correct answers. Some of the incorrect answer may be due to negative transfer from Indonesian, and confusion with similar words in English.
Literature Review
The "father" of collocation is usually considered to be J.R. Firth, a British linguist who died in 1960. It was he that first used the term "collocation" in its linguistic sense. Mahmoud (2005) defines collocations as two words belonging to different grammatical categories to exclude binomials where the two words are from the same category and are connected implicitly or explicitly by a conjunction or a preposition.
Lexical collocation itself include: Verb + Noun (e.g. break a code, lift a blockade), Verb + Adverb (e.g. affect deeply, appreciate sincerely), Noun + Verb (e.g. water freezes, clock ticks), Adjective + Noun (e.g. strong tea, best wishes), Adverb + Adjective (e.g. deeply absorbed, closely related).
The problem for the learner of English is that there are no definite collocation rules that can be learned. The native English speaker intuitively makes the correct collocation, based on a lifetime’s experience of hearing and reading the words in set combinations. The non-native speaker has a more limited experience and may frequently collocate words in a way that sounds odd to the native speaker.
Correct production of such word combinations is a mark of an advanced level of proficiency in a language. Sonaiya (1988) says that lexical errors are more serious because effective communication depends on the choice of words.
Data Analysis
The data for this study is taken by giving a test to ten students. Each test consists of 20 questions. The students are not told that the test is collocation test. The sum of questions done by ten students was 200 questions. There were 128 or 64% incorrect answers and only 72 or 35% correct answers.
Table .1 and chart .1 shows that most of students have problem when make lexical collocation type V; Adverb + adjective. The students produced 33 (26) incorrect collocation. The correct collocations could have been acquired through exposure to the language or they might have been positively transferred from Indonesian, for instance; painfully slow, absurdly easy, widely believe, time goes by, absent-minded professor, frightened children, lions roar, pay attention. One of the incorrect answers could be due to negative transfer from Indonesian example, sound of the clock. Some of incorrect answer could be influenced by generalizing in others grammar rule; they are right in lexical meaning but contextually incorrect.
For example:
1. I hate loneliness because it is very soundless. Even the ticking clock can be heard (clock ticks).
2. You should try to get more attention in class (pay)
3. The situation in Gaza is very terrible. In every second, what we hear is booms exploding ruin the building (booms explode).
4. I’m going to have chance and ask her if she wants to go out somewhere.
Some of the incorrect collocations could be due to interlingual errors. Confusion with similar words in English could be the reason behind incorrect collocations such as;
1. I don’t know why you could not follow his directions. They were virtually clear (clearly).
2. Our test this week is quite challenging in places but the one we got last week was highly easy (absurdly).
Hugh Tomlinson is greatly believed to be the best director of his generation in Hollywood at the moment (widely)
Interlingual transfer is an indispensable learning communication strategy employed by foreign language learners at all levels of proficiency, (see e.g. Bhela, 1999; Mahmoud, 2000; Odlin, 1989; Ringbom, 1987; Sheen, 2001; Tang, 2002).
Discussion
This paper contributes for study in the area of lexical errors of foreign language learners in general and the errors of students of English Study Program in Riau University in particular. It provides empirical data verifying the belief that collocations constitute an area of difficulty in learning English as a foreign language. This finding is in line with Mahmoud (2005) study which state that “collocation is an area of difficulty in learning English as foreign language”.
This study also supports the claims that students commit errors when producing collocations in English, especially the lexical combinations. Errors indicate that English learners depend on interlingual and intralingual strategies to facilitate learning. Such strategies help in case of perceived linguistic similarities and lead to problems in case of differences.
Confusion with similar words also the cause of errors made by English learners. This can be happened when the student can not differentiate the use of words which is quite have the same in meaning but have different usage. In addition to that, the errors are caused by negative interlingual transfer form Indonesian to English. It may be due to the influences of students’ first language as their mother tongue.
As stated in Mahmoud’s paper (2005) that there is no magic formula for correction of collocation errors. In addition to exposure to the language through reading and listening, learners of EFL could benefit from direct teaching and exercises aimed at raising awareness of collocations, (see Ellis, 1997; Williams, 2002). Depending on the students' cognitive development, simplified contrastive comparisons between English and Indonesian collocations might help students see when to transfer and when not to transfer.
In addition to that, this study suggests the English teacher may give more attention to the lexical collocation lessons, especially type 5; Adverb + Adjective.
References
Koosha, Mansour and Ali Akbar Jafarpour. 2007. Data-driven Learning and Teaching Collocation of Prepositions; The Case of Iranian EFL Adult Learners. www.asian-efl-journal.com
Mahmoud, A. 2005. Collocation Errors Made by Arab Learners of English. www.asian-efl-journal.com
Tim Hsu, Jeng-yih and Chu-yao Chiu. 2008. Lexical Collocations and their Relation to Speaking Proficiency. www.asian-efl-journal.com
Tim Hsu, Jeng-yih. 2010. the Effect of Collocations Instruction on the Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Learning of Taiwanese College English Major. www.asian-efl-journal.com
Tony Anggadha
A student of English Study Program in Riau University
Abstract
Since vocabulary has been rarely given any attention by others student in my class, I want to concentrate in this article on the problems non-native speakers may have with English vocabulary use especially in the use of appropriate combinations of words. This is an aspect of language called collocation. This study presents empirical data verifying the informal observations and theoretic assertions that EFL learners produce 'unnatural' word combinations. Multiple choice test consist of 20 questions were given to ten students. They made 128 or 64 % incorrect answers, and only 72 or 36% correct answers. Some of the incorrect answer may be due to negative transfer from Indonesian, and confusion with similar words in English.
Literature Review
The "father" of collocation is usually considered to be J.R. Firth, a British linguist who died in 1960. It was he that first used the term "collocation" in its linguistic sense. Mahmoud (2005) defines collocations as two words belonging to different grammatical categories to exclude binomials where the two words are from the same category and are connected implicitly or explicitly by a conjunction or a preposition.
Lexical collocation itself include: Verb + Noun (e.g. break a code, lift a blockade), Verb + Adverb (e.g. affect deeply, appreciate sincerely), Noun + Verb (e.g. water freezes, clock ticks), Adjective + Noun (e.g. strong tea, best wishes), Adverb + Adjective (e.g. deeply absorbed, closely related).
The problem for the learner of English is that there are no definite collocation rules that can be learned. The native English speaker intuitively makes the correct collocation, based on a lifetime’s experience of hearing and reading the words in set combinations. The non-native speaker has a more limited experience and may frequently collocate words in a way that sounds odd to the native speaker.
Correct production of such word combinations is a mark of an advanced level of proficiency in a language. Sonaiya (1988) says that lexical errors are more serious because effective communication depends on the choice of words.
Data Analysis
The data for this study is taken by giving a test to ten students. Each test consists of 20 questions. The students are not told that the test is collocation test. The sum of questions done by ten students was 200 questions. There were 128 or 64% incorrect answers and only 72 or 35% correct answers.
Table .1 and chart .1 shows that most of students have problem when make lexical collocation type V; Adverb + adjective. The students produced 33 (26) incorrect collocation. The correct collocations could have been acquired through exposure to the language or they might have been positively transferred from Indonesian, for instance; painfully slow, absurdly easy, widely believe, time goes by, absent-minded professor, frightened children, lions roar, pay attention. One of the incorrect answers could be due to negative transfer from Indonesian example, sound of the clock. Some of incorrect answer could be influenced by generalizing in others grammar rule; they are right in lexical meaning but contextually incorrect.
For example:
1. I hate loneliness because it is very soundless. Even the ticking clock can be heard (clock ticks).
2. You should try to get more attention in class (pay)
3. The situation in Gaza is very terrible. In every second, what we hear is booms exploding ruin the building (booms explode).
4. I’m going to have chance and ask her if she wants to go out somewhere.
Some of the incorrect collocations could be due to interlingual errors. Confusion with similar words in English could be the reason behind incorrect collocations such as;
1. I don’t know why you could not follow his directions. They were virtually clear (clearly).
2. Our test this week is quite challenging in places but the one we got last week was highly easy (absurdly).
Hugh Tomlinson is greatly believed to be the best director of his generation in Hollywood at the moment (widely)
Interlingual transfer is an indispensable learning communication strategy employed by foreign language learners at all levels of proficiency, (see e.g. Bhela, 1999; Mahmoud, 2000; Odlin, 1989; Ringbom, 1987; Sheen, 2001; Tang, 2002).
Discussion
This paper contributes for study in the area of lexical errors of foreign language learners in general and the errors of students of English Study Program in Riau University in particular. It provides empirical data verifying the belief that collocations constitute an area of difficulty in learning English as a foreign language. This finding is in line with Mahmoud (2005) study which state that “collocation is an area of difficulty in learning English as foreign language”.
This study also supports the claims that students commit errors when producing collocations in English, especially the lexical combinations. Errors indicate that English learners depend on interlingual and intralingual strategies to facilitate learning. Such strategies help in case of perceived linguistic similarities and lead to problems in case of differences.
Confusion with similar words also the cause of errors made by English learners. This can be happened when the student can not differentiate the use of words which is quite have the same in meaning but have different usage. In addition to that, the errors are caused by negative interlingual transfer form Indonesian to English. It may be due to the influences of students’ first language as their mother tongue.
As stated in Mahmoud’s paper (2005) that there is no magic formula for correction of collocation errors. In addition to exposure to the language through reading and listening, learners of EFL could benefit from direct teaching and exercises aimed at raising awareness of collocations, (see Ellis, 1997; Williams, 2002). Depending on the students' cognitive development, simplified contrastive comparisons between English and Indonesian collocations might help students see when to transfer and when not to transfer.
In addition to that, this study suggests the English teacher may give more attention to the lexical collocation lessons, especially type 5; Adverb + Adjective.
References
Koosha, Mansour and Ali Akbar Jafarpour. 2007. Data-driven Learning and Teaching Collocation of Prepositions; The Case of Iranian EFL Adult Learners. www.asian-efl-journal.com
Mahmoud, A. 2005. Collocation Errors Made by Arab Learners of English. www.asian-efl-journal.com
Tim Hsu, Jeng-yih and Chu-yao Chiu. 2008. Lexical Collocations and their Relation to Speaking Proficiency. www.asian-efl-journal.com
Tim Hsu, Jeng-yih. 2010. the Effect of Collocations Instruction on the Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Learning of Taiwanese College English Major. www.asian-efl-journal.com
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