Sunday 21 April 2024

Levels of Reading

 

I love challenges: there is so much to learn from taking them on and so much satisfaction to derive from meeting them. In fact, the greatest reward is discovering that your custom solution for a particular learner can be applied to several other learning situations.

I have encountered many in the long years of teaching, one of them being preparing students with poor English for exam qualifications with hardly enough time to do so. The reason for such short notice is usually a deadline for a postgraduate degree requirement or a condition for the offer of a job. Candidates with rusty English are certainly hard pressed to achieve this goal. A crash course is what they ask for but even so there is so much one can assimilate in a limited period of time that – if not the student themselves – I feel daunted by the task, at least to begin with.

I will focus on building the appropriate reading strategies in order that the candidates stand a good chance of navigating a dense text. The principle is to at least make sense of the main clause and from thereon work your way down to the different layers of subordination. Getting the gist is top priority: to do this you have to be able to decide how much to dwell on a given period/part of the text without wasting time that could be put to better use if you continued to read, acknowledging your limitations.

Many students who left school long ago would have difficulty understanding coordination (clauses of the same kind) and subordination (one clause depending on another). But practically speaking, they should be able to tell which clause stands in its own right and work their way down from that to the different levels of subordination. All it takes is practice and some help from the teacher till they get the hang of it.  The idea is that as long as you can understand the main clause(s) you can comprehend the text as a whole.

The question is how to demonstrate this approach to the students. I have chosen a colour code to do exactly that. According to this code, you are to mark main clauses blue and moving to the subordinate clauses you can mark the first level (subordinate clause dependent on a main clause) yellow, the second level (subordinate clause dependent on the first-level subordinate clause) green and the third level of subordination purple.  Of course, the choice of colours is totally arbitrary and you can pick your own colours!

Let’s illustrate the approach with a couple of examples. Of course, you will need to persevere by going through difficult bits in texts you present to your students several times before they can actually apply the method themselves.

What follows is an extract from an article entitled How we discovered three poisonous books in our university library published in The Conversation on 28 June 2018.

The reason why we took these three rare books to the X-ray lab was because the library had previously discovered that medieval manuscript fragments, such as copies of Roman law and canonical law, were used to make their covers. It is well documented that European bookbinders in the 16th and 17th centuries used to recycle older parchments.

The clauses in yellow are subordinate to the main clause in blue and the clause in green is subordinate to the second clause in yellow (it is the object of the verb “had discovered”).

The second extract comes from an article entitled The ‘sea-nomad’ children who see like dolphins published on BBC on 1 March 2016.

She thought the first theory was unlikely, because a fundamental change to the eye would probably mean the kids wouldn’t be able to see well above water.

The clause in yellow is a that-clause (“that” is omitted) and serves as the object of the verb of the main clause. The clause in green is a clause of reason and is subordinate to the clause in yellow and the clause in purple is a that-clause and serves as the object of the verb of the clause in green.

Often a long period is a challenge because there are a few clarifications either between commas, or in brackets or even between dashes or because there are a few adjectives defining a noun. You can easily teach the students how to pare some periods down by ignoring details on their first reading for gist so as not to be slowed down in understanding a text in its wholeness or losing the thread while reading.

The following example comes from a publication under the title Scientists Watch a Memory Form in Quanta Magazine on 3 March, 2022.

I have put the details in brackets.

Memory has frequently been studied in the cortex, (which covers the top of the mammalian brain,) and in the hippocampus at the base. But it’s been examined less often in deeper structures such as the amygdala, (the brain’s fear regulation center). The amygdala is particularly responsible for associative memories,(an important class of emotionally charged memories that link disparate things — like that spider in your cereal). While this type of memory is very common, how it forms is not well understood, partly because it occurs in a relatively inaccessible area of the brain.

I also never tire of reminding my students that it is probably a waste of time to linger on the noun phrase just because they know the adjective (s) but not the noun or on a clause if they don’t know the meaning of the main verb.

Let’s look at an example below from Elephant crashes into a woman's home in search for food, as natural habitats shrink published on CNN on 22 June, 2021.

 

"No (single mitigation) method can address the (multifaceted) causes of the problem, which stems from increased development of (original) elephant habitat," the study said. (Long-term) solutions must include "efforts to restore natural elephant habitat, proper land use planning, and crop choices that are less attractive to elephants," as well as "securing corridors to allow elephants to move to additional habitats."

 

I find that these simple ways of reducing a text to its basics can be particularly useful to dyslexic students/readers though it can help anyone when struggling with a dense convoluted period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday 6 January 2024

The arguments for creating your own material

 

Creating one’s exercises is imperative for anyone teaching language. Course books, workbooks, grammar books often fall short of my needs, which is why I routinely create exercises of my own for grammar and vocabulary consolidation and revision.

There are some very important factors determining the type of exercise I create, which is certainly not because it is included in exams. First and foremost, an exercise must take into account the level of your students. A grammar exercise which places unreasonable demands on the students in terms of vocabulary is pointless. And only you know what you have taught. In addition, you need to bear in mind at all times what is tested in a given exercise and focus on one grammar point rather than a mix. Needless to say, content is essential whatever is tested. An exercise should stimulate the student’s interest so that they will immerse themselves in the task.

Another consideration is to take into account mother tongue interference, which means adjusting the exercise so that you can elicit and therefore highlight mistakes resulting from language transfer. A few typical examples of transferring from Greek to English include the use of “with” instead of “as” after the word “same” or the use of “for” instead of “to” after the word “important”. Also a very common grammatical error is the use of Present Simple instead of Present Perfect for an action which started in the past and reaches the present. Accordingly, most Greek students will come up with sentences like

I know this guy for a long time.

rather than

I have known this guy for a long time.

Or

I play the piano for five years

rather than

I have been playing the piano for five years.

It takes a lot of time and perseverance to correct mistakes of this kind.

One inviolable principle in creating an exercise is an ascending degree of difficulty so you know at a glance whether your students have got the basics but need more work on details. The students can also evaluate themselves and acknowledge the need for more work depending on the gravity of their mistakes.

An exercise should be suited to individual and/or group needs and weaknesses. This explains why I am so cautious about standardised exercises.

Course books place far too much emphasis on certain aspects of grammar but grossly underestimate others, which in fact might not even have an equivalent in the students’ mother tongue. Let me illustrate with an example. Causative form is a type of structure which is foreign to Greek students. So the English sentence

We are having the flat redecorated

would translate into

We are redecorating the flat

in Greek.

The structure in question and several others are too hastily dealt with in course and grammar books and because of the order most course books follow in presenting grammar items there is hardly any space or time for revision before students are ready to sit a basic exam like B2. Besides, students are not able to familiarise themselves with a way of thinking that is very different from what they are used to in their own language. After all language embodies cultural differences and varying perceptions of the world so learning a foreign language is supposed to also give you insights into cultural and linguistic diversity .

Here is an exercise which I created for my students to practise causative form.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K5peGhnH1eF4OiULfi0sCmNGhRT1qk6R/view?usp=sharing

Note that I have included the whole range of tenses as well as the infinitive and gerund forms. I have also made sure to include an example of the case in which people suffer a misfortune rather than causing the action to happen. (sentence 10

Another aspect of language which is not presented systematically in most courses – let alone practised – is linking.  I normally start with the more manageable types of clauses-- clauses of time and reason-- for example, and continue with the rest. Students of English usually find it hard to understand the function of conjunctions, prepositions and adverbs in linking ideas. For instance, they will use “despite” in the place of “although” or “although” in the place of “however”. What makes the issue even more complicated is the fact that the same word may have different grammatical functions, “though” being just one example that springs to mind. The confusion may continue even after they attain B2 level. This means teachers should persist with extra practice at all levels.

Here is an example of a simple exercise I created to test understanding of concession. Let me point out that before this exercise there have been others – simpler and more straightforward.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JhkViYIcYdMBS--0ItLvNYJN_NZa7izO/view?usp=sharing

Once the students have had sufficient practice and assimilated whole chunks of certain grammar areas, I create revision exercises to spot gaps and make sure they have a good understanding of the area I am testing. If there is still confusion or uncertainty I prepare more remedial work. For instance, I have a number of exercises on past tenses and all kinds of linkers – among others.

Examples

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vn4EjmafuNDb1YFXqEFGXhoPUtvIfxXt/view?usp=drive_link

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A-EuO6a_bN9sFnIujwo0q7zNE3XvsSv4/view?usp=sharing

To sum up, fine tuning your material is an ongoing struggle which never ends while you teach, and looking back to detect mistakes or weaknesses in exercises or tests you have prepared is a standard part of the teaching process.

Sunday 10 December 2023

for those who will take their leave

 There comes a time when we have to part. It is heartbreaking but part we must. Here is a Greek poem of mine attempting to visualise this last goodbye:

Το τέλος με μια έννοια

Σίγασαν οι φωνές,  γύρω μου

Μια πάλλευκη σιωπή

Σαν το χιόνι που αθόρυβα

Σκεπάζει τη ζωή

 

Ο μακρύς δρόμος απλώνεται

Στο άγνωστο του ονείρου

Μια αχνή μορφή τον διαβαίνει

Κι όλο ξεθωριάζει και βαθαίνει

 

Η ματιά μου την ακολουθεί

Μα χάνεται, και η πάλη

Είναι άνιση και μάταια

Αφήνομαι—δεν ξέρω αλλοιώς

 

Tuesday 5 December 2023

 When sadness overwhelms you, only poetry can lighten your burden.

I wrote this today:


Το τέλος με μια έννοια

Σίγασαν οι φωνές,  γύρω μου

Μια πάλλευκη σιωπή

Σαν το χιόνι που αθόρυβα

Σκεπάζει τη ζωή

 

Ο μακρύς δρόμος απλώνεται

Στο άγνωστο του ονείρου

Μια αχνή μορφή τον διαβαίνει

Κι όλο ξεθωριάζει και βαθαίνει

 

Η ματιά μου την ακολουθεί

Μα χάνεται, και η πάλη

Είναι άνιση και μάταια

Αφήνομαι—δεν ξέρω αλλοιώς

 


Friday 15 September 2023

Back to school

 

Teaching to a large extent is about inspiration and creativity.

Many of us are close to or have just started a new school year, and the challenge of the first class is looming. The students are back but rather reluctant to get down to the drudgery so a lure here and there might come in useful. For young kids who’ve had a couple of years I strongly recommend action!

There are so many words which course books introduce later rather than sooner without necessarily a good reason.

Depending on what item or structure you intend to present you can vary your approach. Let me elaborate:

tiptoe: contextualize/mime

Shh! Everyone is asleep. Don’t make noise on the stairs. Let’s tiptoe.

tiptoe




wriggle: problem-solving/mime

You are too big to climb out of the window. What can you do?

Wriggle through it

wriggle




 

march, dive, spin: question and answer/mime

What do soldiers do?

They march.

march




What do swimmers do?

They dive.

dive




What do dancers do?

They spin a lot.

spin




 

bend, straighten up/stretch, relax: mime/make a sequence


Let’s exercise. First bend down. Straighten up slowly.


bend


straighten up


Stretch your arms. Relax.

stretch




relax




 


 


 



Monday 17 July 2023

Material presentation: a constant challenge for teachers

 

I have discovered in my long years of teaching that simple tweaks to the way you present or combine material can make such a big difference. And you won’t know unless you experiment. What I am saying is that there have been times when I was really hard at it to make my input stimulating for the students but it certainly wasn’t worth the investment in time and effort while other times some minor readjustment did the trick. Teaching like learning is highly associative, and the right choice of association(s) is sometimes a matter of coincidence or good timing.  

An example will help illustrate my point. I had recently come across a news story on BBC about the SGA strike and how it affected film or series production, filming and releases. The challenge with teenagers is getting them interested in a topic that could leave them indifferent or making them see an issue from a different perspective.

After having dutifully prepared the text and some exercises to go with it – as usual – I stumbled upon a short video about why going to the cinema is good for you, and it totally transformed the way I was going to introduce the news story. To begin with, the video should precede the news story as it would definitely engage my students’ attention enough to want to consider the fairness or even the relevance of the actors’ demands and grievances.

Accordingly I had the students watch the video and write down or make a mental note of the aspects of the video that they found most exciting or they could relate to and then share their takes on the video. Some were impressed by how far cinema theatres have come since the appearance of the first cinemas. Others noted how much stronger the cinema audience reactions were compared to those who watched alone. I don’t suppose they were surprised by how much more focused the cinema audience was since by now they are well aware of the distracting effect mobiles have on literally any kind of activity.

However, having a scientific confirmation of the social role of cinema going and its contribution to fostering the spirit of community did strike a chord.

Here are my teacher's and student's copy for anyone who would care to use them and the video link.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K-qew27vBam1i_jSHBYu20yE1kTE3OUbgCt_PeovlpE/edit?usp=sharing


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iAkj3QLynXStunUDKytn_FghgIN9GHxZdQuWBYZxcLI/edit?usp=sharing


https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/why-going-to-the-cinema-is-good-for-you/p0f722xz


Thursday 8 June 2023

Teaching and philosophy

 


Time to say hello to all those who read my blog and who I will never know. Please do not mind me if I become overly philosophical or sentimental.  

I am from a small place even in this small country, Greece. When I was young and green, I dreamed of ways of getting away from this “confinement”. I needed to see the world. And in a way I did see the world. I gained a place at a Scottish University and met and mixed with people from all around the world. Somehow the world came to me. Even after my return to my humble roots and establishing my own school of English, where I have consistently tried to combine theory amassed in my years of study -- graduate and postgraduate as well as seminar and conference attendance -- with the knowledge I have gained working with and carefully observing children and adults in the process of learning, I never gave up travelling or getting to know the big wide world—at least for the first two decades. However, passions grow thin with time and so did mine. I decided that I can now draw from my microcosm as much wisdom as from the macrocosm if only I keep my eyes open and my heart unadulterated. And I have been at it ever since.

One of the main sources of happiness for me, second only to having and raising my own children, is the interaction with people in class.

Have you ever noticed how dyslectic people especially children concoct stories with their perceived version of the content of utterances they hear or of texts they read? To my eyes (ears) it is an admirable endeavour which often results in much more intricate tales than the bland insipid statements teachers or other people come up with.

Imagine:

How much more interesting would “well done” be if it was “well bone” or “wall done”? Or  what if instead of “sick”  it was “sock” and rather than "everybody" "every baby"!?  There are of course the hybrids such as “wir”, a mix-up on a semantic level, as in “wind”+”air” or “mouniment“ as in mountain and “monument”. *

Some students, the bold ones, go beyond the lexical level and apply their perception of what was said to the whole sentence. Only the other day I had to hear out a student who had misinterpreted “fine” as “find” citing a story about finding whatever it was rather than taking my word for it that the word was “fine” and not “find”. Their tactic of ignoring endings or grammar rules apparently in order to get to the core of what is said or written before losing the thread partly contributes  to this attitude. However, it hasn’t escaped my attention that it is those who refuse to have their bubble burst that insist on their version. Perhaps I am stretching it a bit, but could it reveal something about their personality? “I won’t have reality spoil my universe. I have toiled too much to have it crumbled by anyone”

I can go along with that. We all have our ways of making reality less intolerable than it is or looks.

 

*I have cross-checked the mix-ups and had them confirmed by the students.