The English Primary Auxiliary Verbs: A Linguistic Theoretical Exercise

Autor: Drugas, C. L.
The Scientific Journal of Humanistic Studies 12
2015, págs. 68-70
ISSN: 2286-1394

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 The Scientific Journal of Humanistic Studies Year 7, no. 12

* Linguistics

Corina Lavinia Drugas

The Importance of Teaching the Adjective in Context

Abstract
Being a techer of English in a highschool, I have come across many difficulties in teaching different parts of
the English Morphology in context. As a result, this study aims at discussing not only the importance, but also the
methods and strategies efficient in teaching the adjective.
Keywords: skills, adjective, methods and strategies

Grammar is an important part in developing In this approach, lower level learners read only
the four skills we should acquire, and it is difficult to sentences and paragraphs generated by textbook
separate grammar from vocabulary when producing writers and instructors. The reading of authentic
language, a complex system that is used to describe the materials is limited to the works of great authors and
world we live in. On the other hand, grammar is an reserved for upper level students who have developed
integral part of language, so that, the more we can find the language skills needed to read them.
out about how grammar is learnt and used, the better Reading texts can provide opportunities to
we will teach it. study vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and ways to
I consider that teaching any part of speech construct sentences, paragraphs and texts in writing.If
cannot be done without practice through different types the reading texts are interesting and engaging, acquisition
of exercises such as gap-filling, matching and is likely to be even more successful, stimulating further
transformation tasks, error correction, manipulation of discussion and imaginative responses.(Harmer, 2001)
text, descriptive, narrative writing of essays that require In my opinion, a successful reading text is one
the use of grammar. In such a context, the adjective has that is adapted to the students’ levels of
its role in the teaching-learning process and the teacher comprehension and to their necessities and interests.
needs to cover the methodological aspects of teaching it Some of the beststrategiesthat can help students read
properly. That is why the main techniques, strategies, more quickly and effectively include previewing,
steps and activities should be mastered correctly when it predicting about writing style, vocabulary, and content,
comes to analysing the adjective in listening, reading, skimming and scanning, guessing from context or
speaking and writing skills. paraphrasing.The students also need to know the
Writing stories and essays are also compulsory advantages of skimming and scanning and that the
when trying to obtain a good proficiency in mastering way they read is vitally important for their dealing
the adjective. But, I strongly consider that nothing can with other tasks related to it.
be done successfully in terms of acquiring and using Both reading and listening, as receptive skills,
the language thoroughly if there is not an adequate can be done extensively too, for pleasure, in a leisurely
studying climate in the classroom, where the teacher’s way, anywhere, in or outside the classroom and they
roles should be very well defined and known by are considered the best possible way for students to
everybody, where the mistakes should be considered develop automaticity but they need materials that they
part of being a human but also part of learning the understand and that might be recommended by the
language acquisition. teacher.This type of extensive reading and listening
Students acquire the reading skills by can be followed by activities in the classroom such as
studying the vocabulary, grammar, and sentence discussions, comments, fill-in report forms, diaries
structures of a language, not by actually reading them. with what the students heard or read. (Scrivener, 1994)

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On the other hand, there are the intensive fluency, pronunciation, body language and grammatical
reading and listening that are dedicated to the accuracy. But we all know that the goal of teaching
achievement of different study goals and are less speaking skill is ‘communicative efficiency’. The
relaxing, mostly designed to enable students to students should be able to make themselves understood,
develop specific receptive skills. Listening provides using their previous knowledge in the appropriate
the oral input that serves as the basis for language context. One way of doing this is by using
acquisition and enables learners to interact in spoken comprehensible pronunciation, grammar and
communication. vocabulary and thus avoiding confusion in the spoken
Successful listening tasks include conversations, message.
interviews or story-telling through which, the students Good speaking activities can and should be
can make use of previous knowledge which helps highly motivating. If all the students are participating
them better understand the context and predict what fully and if the teacher has set up the activity properly
will happen next because predictions are thought to followed by useful feedback, they will get tremendous
give the interaction a far greater chance of success. satisfaction from it. Many speaking tasks like role-
Listening strategiesare seen as techniques or playing, discussions or problem-solving are
activities that contribute directly to the comprehension intrinsically enjoyable in themselves.
and recall of listening input and can belistener based Moreover, I believe that being able to tell your
such as listening for the main idea,predicting,drawing own stories and being able to learn from experience is
inferences,summarizing ortext based, like, listening vital to achieving a happy and balanced life related to
for specific details,recognizing cognates,recognizing the society around you. And quite simply, every day in
word-order patterns. every workplace, people relate to each other through
I consider that the main method of exposing the stories they tell and the stories they manifest
students to spoken English is through the use of taped through the clothes they wear, the places they live in
material/CD which can exemplify a range of topics and the way they get on with other people. For all
such as advertisements, news broadcasts, poetry, songs these reasons, helping people to write stories is
with lyrics, speeches, telephone conversations and important and I think there is a compulsory and
other manners of spoken exchanges. valuable need of it in developing the writing skills.
In order to become better listeners of English When it comes to writing about descriptive
language, students have to listen to it everywhere they stories, students might be exposed to visual or
may hear it, on the radio, at TV, in films, on the imaginative pictures or situations because every thing
internet, in means of transport or in the street when that we see, hear, smell or touch can generate a story.
travelling abroad, etc.Unlike reading, listeners have to In my opinion, without stories life would be boring
go with the speed of the voice(s) they are listening and every living creature has its own story.
tobecause it is the speaker’s voicethat dominates the Real or imaginative stories make us more
interaction, not that of the listener. (Harmer, 2001) creative and more alive through the experiences that
A good strategy for an efficient listening is to we share. In terms of using the adjectives, through
listen first for general comprehension and only descriptions, their use is exploited to the fullest but for
afterwards students should listen for specific details. a proficiency writing, students need to be able to select
Therefore, informal spoken English together with the appropriate vocabulary, grammar and sequencers.
tone of the voice, the intonation the speakers use, The vocabulary they need for a story, clearly
rhythm, and background noise, will help students depends on the particular story they are writing. If the
better understand the complex process of listening to whole class is working on the same story, then it is
and then utter English words, phrases, sentences or relatively easy to brainstorm a suitable set of lexis
personal opinions. from the students and have the words as a resource on
Given the importance of listening in language the board, the teacher adding any other key words
learning and teaching, it is essential for language which cannot be elicited from the students.
teachers to help their students become effective If, on the other hand, they are all writing
listeners. In the communicative approach to language individual stories, they need teacher’s assistance or
teaching, this means modeling listening strategies and bilingual dictionary that sometimes doesn’t help them
providing listening practice in authentic situations: because they are tempted to do a word by word
those that learners are likely to encounter when they translation, from Romanian to English, for example,
use the language outside the classroom.Speaking is a which proves to be very frustrating and inefficient.
complex activity too and it involves interaction However, story writing offers the students a very real,
between people using language and body language to and necessity-driven opportunity to become a good
determine the listener to be attentive. bilingual dictionary user. (Wright and Hill, 2008)In
We can develop our students’ speaking skills practice, I found that students prefer to write within
by focusing on particular aspects of speaking such as their existing vocabulary range.
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When talking about teaching, I think that of getting attention and information into long-term
methodology and subject matter are very important but memory, even if not so challenging, they help students
there is more beyond the level of knowledge, good be more confident and self-trusting. A more difficult
teaching requires experience, training, observation, and original task that promotes and involves language
continuous development and good acting skills and thinking is to be done only after practicing a lot of
because nobody cares how much you know unless controlled drills.
they know how much you care. If I am interested and Being a dynamic process, grammar should be
enthusiastic about what I teach, my students would be taught with concern for learners' needs, objectives,
too. educational level, learning styles, the error correction
After good years of teaching, I noticed that feedback, and with concern for the need of varied,
what they really need in the classroom is a positive meaningful communicative activities and authentic
learning atmosphere, they need me to create conditions tasks. There is a strong necessity of authentic tasks
for them not to feel tensed or frustrated while learning because all children nowadays are ‘digital natives’,
any grammar structure. That is why a great teacher they have difficulties in concentrating, they are not
should be ready for his students and get them English always focused and go through emotional changes that
ready as well. In my opinion this can be properly done make them reluctant to invest effort in learning;
by using powerful words such as ‘do/make/get’ therefore, they love interactivity, they enjoy working
phrases. I try to get them pay attention and forget in groups being highly competitive and expecting
about Facebook or weather forecast for 50 immediate feedback.(Bolitho, 1980)
minutes.(Pugliese, 2010) Nevertheless, English language is powerful
I must say that getting them attentive is one of and makes us powerful as well, communicative, self
the most difficult tasks, a very challenging one because confident, courageous and willing to learn more, to
the warming up activities need to be funny and appreciate life as it is, to cherish and share every day
mentally catching, otherwise their interest is definitely of it.
lost.Sometimes, the repetitive drills are the best choice

References:
BOLITHO, R. (1980). Discover English, Macmillan Books for Teachers
HARMER, J. (1998). How to Teach English, Longman Group UK Limited
HARMER, J.(2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman Group UK Limited.
PUGLIESE, C.(2010). “Being Creative – the challenge of change in the classroom”, Delta Teaching
Development Series
SCRIVENER, J. (1994). Learning Teaching, Macmillan Books for Teachers
WRIGHT, A. and HILL A.D. (2008). Writing Stories – Developing language skills through story
making,Helbling Languages

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