LANGUAGE RELATED TASKS

Name: Cheryl Assignment 2: Language related tasks

Course: O3/2020 Date submitted: 5th August

The aim of this assignment is for you to:

 Identify the significant features of the form, pronunciation, meaning and use of specified language
items/areas.
 Establish context, convey meaning and check students’ understanding.
 Anticipate student problems with the language and be prepared to help with them.
 Use relevant information from reference materials to assist in your planning and teaching.

Assessment criteria (from Cambridge English CELTA Syllabus and Assessment Guidelines)
Successful candidates can demonstrate their learning by:
Analysing language correctly for teaching purposes.
Correctly using terminology relating to form, meaning and phonology when analysing language.
Accessing reference materials and referencing information they have learned about language to an
appropriate source.
Using written language that is clear, accurate and appropriate to the task.
+-750/1000 words.

Each assignment may COMMENTS

be submitted twice
PASS
1.

RESUBMIT

PASS on
2. Resubmission

FAIL

FIRST MARKER SECOND MARKER

 1. a) This child is not only chubby, he’s overweight. (pre-intermediate)

Lexical area (e.g. adjectives of personality):

Adjectives: chubby and overweight

Context:
To describe a person’s physical appearance

Lexical sets / word lists (items to be covered in the lesson):

chubby
overweight

What do the items mean? (Please state in student-friendly language):

As an adjective, chubby is to describe a person who is slightly overweight, somewhat fat and
hence soft and cute. It is a pleasant word to describe babies and children who are slightly fat.
As an adjective, overweight is to describe a person who is heavier than what is generally
considered healthy for a given body type and height. It is a polite way to describe people who is
fat.

Describe the context you will use, how you will convey and elicit the language:
This kid was a cute and adorable boy with a little bit of baby fat. (show a picture) How can you
describe his weight?
He was…... (try to elicit ‘chubby’, if nobody comes up with this--give the answer-chubby).

But he gained some weight and now he is……. (show a picture) (try to elicit overweight, if nobody
comes up with this-give answer-overweight)

How you will check students have understood:

CCQs:
When I say the child was chubby, was he slightly fat? (yes) Is it positive? (yes) Do I think he is
cute? (yes)
When I say the child is overweight now, is he fatter than before? (yes) Is it polite? (yes) Do I still
think he is cute now? (no)

Any appropriacy considerations?

Chubby is an informal word and overweight is a formal word. They are both positive words to
describe a person who is slightly fat or fat. Especially, when chubby is used to describe babies,
children and women, it means these people are adorable.

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Meaning):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may think ‘chubby’ is fatter than  Show Ss two pictures and emphasize that
‘overweight’. ‘overweight’ is fatter than ‘chubby’.
 Ss may think ‘chubby’ and ‘overweight’  Higlight it is positive and polite to say
are two negative words to describe a fat someone is chubby and overweight.
person. (compare them with ‘fat’ (negative and
impolite))

Analyse features of pronunciation: (phonemic transcriptions or problem sounds):

chubby ['tʃʌbɪ]
overweight [ˌəʊvərˈweɪt]
Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Pronunciation):
Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may de-voice /tʃ/ to /ʃ/  Highlight and drill
 Ss may have problem with /ə/  Highlight and drill
 Ss may not put stress on the ‘w’  Highlight and drill

Written record (what will this be and how will it be provided?):

On the board

Chubby (slightly fat) < Overweight (fat)

chubby baby
overweigh child
t woman
man

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Form):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may think ‘overweight’ is two words  Highlight the ‘overweight’ and address it
and write ‘over weight’. clearly.
 Ss may miss ‘h’ in the word ‘chubby’.  Highlight the form on the board and drill.

Sources used:

https://wikidiff.com/overweight/chubby
Redman, S. (2011). English vocabulary in use pre-intermediate & intermediate.
Thornbury, S. (2006). How to teach vocabulary. Pearson Education India.
 2. b) He can’t have forgotten about our anniversary! (upper-intermediate)

Language area (e.g. verb forms in the narrative)

can't have + forgotten (past participle)

Context: talking about the certainty of an event in the past

Target sentence(s) from the lesson (include affirmative, negative and interrogative if relevant):
He can’t have forgotten about our anniversary.
What does the structure mean? (Please state in student-friendly language):
‘Can't have + past participle’ is used in present contexts to express simple belief in the
impossibility of a past event or situation. It’s similar to ‘he must have remembered our
anniversary’.

Describe how you will convey and elicit the language:

Amy is talking to her best friend Sarah.
Amy: ‘Today is Tom and I’s 10th anniversary.’ He didn’t prepare any present for me.’
Sarah: ‘Maybe he forgot it’.
Amy: ‘He can’t have forgotten about our anniversary.’
(Students read the dialogue and get exposed to the target language. They then get to know the
grammar form: can’t have + past participle)

Then show them the timeline

He can’t have forgotten about our anniversary

Issue: forgot the anniversary Now: Amy is taking about this issue

Concept Checking question:

Did Tom forget the anniversary? (maybe) Do Amy believe that Tom forgot the anniversary? (no)
Does the issue ‘Tom may forget the anniversary’ happen in the past? (yes)

Any appropriacy considerations?

Slightly informal but very polite

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Meaning):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may confuse it with the present  Highlight that Amy thinks that Tom
perfect tense and think Tom has definitely did not forget their anniversary.
forgotten the anniversary.  Highlight that this issue happed in the past
 Ss may think this thing happens right by using the timelines.
now.

Analyse features of pronunciation: (weak forms, contractions, phonemic transcriptions):

■ ■ ■
He can’t have forgotten about our anniversary!
[hikɑːnt həv fəˈɡɒtn əˈbaʊt ˈaʊə(r) ˌænɪˈvɜːsəri]

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Pronunciation):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
  Ss may use ‘cannot’ instead of ‘can’t’.  Point out the contraction and drill
 Ss may put stress on ‘have’.  Highlight the weak pronunciation and drill
 Ss may have trouble with /ə/. together
 Ss may not realize the intonation.  Highlight and drill
 Highlight and drill

Analyse the form (analysis as it will appear on the whiteboard or worksheet):

Can’t have forgotten
Can’t have + past participle

can’t have forgotten

+ believed
said
found
done

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Form) :

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may use past simple form instead of  Highlight the form and show more verb
pass participle form. forms as examples.
 Ss may use ‘couldn’t have’ instead of  Although it is a correct form, it is not the
‘can’t have’. target language. ‘couldn’t’ is more formal.
 Ss may omit ‘can’t’.  Re-highlight the form.
 Ss may omit one ‘t’ in the word  Address if arises. Point it out that there
‘forgotten’. are double ‘t’s in the word ‘forgotten’.

Sources used:
http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/azar/grammar_ex/message_board/archive/articles/00108
.htm
Scrivener, J. (2010). Teaching English Grammar. Macmillan Education.
Murphy, R. (2012). English grammar in use. Ernst Klett Sprachen.
 3. a) Would you mind opening the window? (Intermediate)

Language area (e.g. verb forms in the narrative)

Would you mind + opening (doing)

Context:
How to make a request politely

Target sentence(s) from the lesson (include affirmative, negative and interrogative if relevant):
Would you mind opening the window?

What does the structure mean? (Please state in student-friendly language):

‘Would you mind + doing’ is used for asking a request politely.

Describe how you will convey and elicit the language:

Prepare some pictures to introduce a scene in which one student repeatedly makes request to
another student in the classroom. Then in class, model first and then elicit the target language.

A: Would you mind opening the window? B: Sure.

A: Would you mind turning off the air conditional? B: No.
A: Would you mind passing me that bottle? B: Well, okay.
A: Would you mind watching my bag for a few minutes? B: No problem.

Concept Checking question:

Is A going to open the window? (no) Is B going to open the window? (yes) Is it a request? (yes) Is
it polite? (yes)

Any appropriacy considerations?

Positive; very polite way to make a request; not very formal

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Meaning):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may think this is a permission instead  Point out this is a request. (compare
of a request. ‘would you mind opening the window’
 Ss may think it is a formal phrase to and ‘would you mind if I open the
make a request. window’).
 Ss may transfer the meaning of the verb  Highlight it is slightly informal.
‘mind’ to this phrase.  Highlight the meaning of the chunk of
words: a polite request rather than ‘mind’
as ‘brain’.

Analyse features of pronunciation: (weak forms, contractions, phonemic transcriptions):

■ ■ ■ ■
Would you mind opening the window?
[wʊd ju maɪnd ˈəʊpənɪŋðə ˈwɪndəʊ]
/ d / + / j / = / dʒ /

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Pronunciation):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
  Ss may not realize the rising tone.  Point out the intonation and drill together.
 Ss may not pronounce the liaison of /d/  Highlight the liaison and draw the
+ /j/. connection. Drill together.
 Ss may have trouble with /ð/.  Show the location of the tongue and drill.

Analyse the form (analysis as it will appear on the whiteboard or worksheet):

Would you mind + doing
 Formality*
 Politeness ***
Would you opening the window?
mind + turning off the air conditional?
Passing me that bottle?
watching my bag for a few minutes?

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Form):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may mix the ‘would you mind’ with  Address if arises. Compare ‘would you
‘do you mind’. mind’ with ‘do you mind’, ‘would you
 Ss may say ‘would you mind to open the mind’ is more common and polite.
window’.  Highlight the correct form ‘would you
mind + doing’ .

Sources used:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/mind
Scrivener, J. (2010). Teaching English Grammar. Macmillan Education.
 4. a) She couldn’t make ends meet with 3 children and so many bills. (advanced)

Lexical area (e.g. adjectives of personality):

make ends meet (idiom)

Context:
To describe the financial status

Lexical sets / word lists (items to be covered in the lesson):

make ends meet

What do the items mean? (Please state in student-friendly language):

To earn just enough money to pay one's bills.

Describe the context you will use, how you will convey and elicit the language:
She has 3 children and so many bills. She earns a little amount of money. One end is money and
another end is bills. Therefore, she couldn’t…... (try to elicit ‘make ends meet’, if nobody comes
up with this-give the answer).

How you will check students have understood:

CCQs: If she couldn’t make ends meet with 3 children and so many bills, does she earn enough
money? (no) Is she struggling? (yes) Is it difficult for her to pay for things needed? (yes)

Any appropriacy considerations?

slightly negative; informal

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Meaning):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may think that it is about meeting  Highlight this idiom is about money.
something.  Highlight that the person has to use all the
 Ss may think the person is wealthy money to pay for the bills.
enough and does not care about the bills

Analyse features of pronunciation: (phonemic transcriptions or problem sounds):

Make ends meet [meɪk endz miːt]

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Pronunciation) :

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may have problem with /dz/.  Highlight on the board and drill.
 Ss may confuse /iː/ with /i/.  Highlight and drill.
 Ss may put stress on /t/ at the end.  Highlight and drill.

Written record (what will this be and how will it be provided?):

On the board
money-- -- bills
Make ends meet

Anticipated problems and solutions with the target language (Form):

Possible Problem Proposed Solution
 Ss may miss the ‘s’ in ‘ends’  Highlight the ‘s’ on the board and drill.
  Ss may say ‘make ends meet bills’  Highlight the form, address and drill.
 Ss may write ‘make meet ends’  Re-highlight the form. This is an idiom.

Sources used:
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/make+ends+meet
Thornbury, S. (2006). How to teach vocabulary. Pearson Education India.
References:
Murphy, R. (2012). English grammar in use. Ernst Klett Sprachen.
Redman, S. (2011). English vocabulary in use pre-intermediate & intermediate.
Scrivener, J. (2010). Teaching English Grammar. Macmillan Education.
Thornbury, S. (2006). How to teach vocabulary. Pearson Education India.