Filed under: Grammar
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Number of students: 3+
Objective: To play the role of intermediary and report the words of two arguing parties
STEP 1 – Have the class brainstorm situations in which people argue. Ask them to name relationships and possible issues to fight over. Examples:
- Neighbors argue over a noisy dog, a parking spot, frequent parties…
- Roommates argue over cleaning, having guests over, using each other’s things…
- Co-workers argue over office space, stolen documents, a promotion…
- Spouses/ boyfriend-girlfriend argue over cheating, forgetting a birthday…
STEP 2 – Explain the term middleman. Discuss briefly what the middleman might do in an argument.
STEP 3 – Explain that students will role play an argument in which two people are so angry that they refuse to speak to each other. Select two students to be the arguing parties and a third student to play the role of middleman. The students arguing will take turns making statements (and asking questions if you’ve covered reporting questions). The middleman will report each statement making all necessary changes to verbs, word order, and reference words. Set a time limit of about 2 minutes. Allow others to assist the middleman if necessary. Model:
Roommate A (Anna): I’m tired of cleaning up Dora’s mess in the kitchen.
Middleman: Anna said she was tired of cleaning up your mess in the
kitchen.
Roommate B (Dora): Tell Anna I’ll keep the kitchen clean, but I want her to
help with grocery shopping and cooking.
Middleman: Dora said that she would keep the kitchen clean, but she
asked you to help with the grocery shopping and cooking.
STEP 4 – You may continue to select three students at a time to start a new round of arguing and reporting. If the class is large, you could choose to do one of the following: (1) increase the number of people in each party and also have at least two middlemen; (2) have the students work in small groups of three, taking turns as the middleman.
STEP 5 – Optional homework assignment: Write about a time you argued with another person. Include reported speech in your text.
SUGGESTION: With advanced students, keep a list of reporting verbs on the board. Challenge the middleman to make use of verbs other than say, tell, and ask.
Filed under: Grammar | Tags: English With Jennifer, indirect speech, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, reported speech
While preparing a series of lessons on reported speech, I looked at a number of sources both online and off. I observed how the majority of grammarians first noted the difference between quoted speech and reported speech. Some more than others went into detail about proper punctuation in quoted speech, but then the next trend was to highlight common reporting verbs and the syntax each requires. From there, the herd moved on to the biggest pasture: changes in verb tense. Indeed, this aspect gives the most to chew on. Almost as an afterthought, many pointed out additional changes: subject and object pronouns, possessives, demonstratives, and adverbs of time and place.
Working within a ten-minute limit per video, I decided to have a very narrow focus in each lesson of my series. I started out on the heavily trodden path, but soon I headed off in a new direction. My choices reflected a desire to make grammar clear and accessible. I like to build up to more difficult aspects, giving students the time to assimilate each chunk of information and gain enough confidence to take the next step in mastering a topic. Consider this sequence in your own classroom presentation when it’s time to cover reported speech:
- What is reported speech? How does it contrast with quoted speech? = I gave preference to the term reported over indirect because the former seemed more self-explanatory. I noted that reporting isn’t exact; it’s indirect. That is, words change.
- What are the most common reporting verbs? = I gave preference to say and tell and held off from addressing the use of ask to keep the focus on statements, not questions. Explaining patterns with say and tell took up more time than I originally anticipated, but it seemed necessary to give some guidance in choosing one or the other rather than just stating that both were common reporting verbs and leaving it at that.
- What are reference words? How do we change them in reported speech? = I chose the term reference words in an effort to simplify my explanation of changes to pronouns, demonstratives, possessive adjectives, and adverbs. Also, I wanted to start with the most logical changes. When the point of reference changes, it’s logical that many pronouns and words indicating proximity also change. Understanding that “I” can become “she” or he” and “here” becomes “there” is easier to grasp than the idea of “will” becoming “would” or “did” becoming “had done”.
- What changes are made to verb tenses and why? = My plan is to help students deal with shifts in verb tense after they’re comfortable changing reference words.
- How do we report questions? How do we report commands? = Once students master reporting statements, I will address questions and commands and the necessary changes in sentence structure.
- What other reporting verbs can be used? = A lesson on reported speech seems limited if only say, tell, and ask are presented. I feel it’s necessary to point out how reporting allows interpretation.
Filed under: Grammar | Tags: English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, past forms of infinitives, perfect infinitives
QUESTION: Do we really need a past form of the infinitive? The book says “would like to have seen”. Can’t I just say “would have liked to see”? Is it possible to say “would have liked to have seen”?
ANSWER: It’s true that often there is more than one way to express an idea. For example, the statements I’d rather not go and I’d prefer not to go are synonymous. Then again, some structures are synonymous in meaning but not in register. But and nevertheless can both express a contrast, but the latter is more formal.
I think these statements are synonymous:
- I would have liked to see that.
- I would like to have seen that.
Some may argue otherwise. Would you? Do you think that “would have liked” refers to a past possibility (It would have made me happy to see that, but I wasn’t there) and “would like” refers to a present possibility (Having seen that, I would be happy now)?
I think this statement (much like a double negative in English) is incorrect:
- I would have liked to have seen that.
Consider these concrete examples:
- There are some past U.S. presidential inaugurations many would have liked to see.
- Some consider elections more exciting than inaugurations. They discuss which elections they would like to have seen.
- Not all scenes filmed make it into a TV show or film. Aren’t there some deleted scenes you would have liked to see from your favorite film?
Changing the verbs and avoiding modals, we see less confusion:
- You seem to have recovered. (= It seems that you recovered.)
> Now you appear healthy. You must have recovered from your illness.
- You seemed to have recovered. (= It seemed to me that you had recovered.)
> The last time I saw you, you appeared healthy, but I suppose you had a relapse since that time.
Are you stumped by perfect infinitives? Can you offer any insight?
Filed under: Methodology, professional development | Tags: English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, Tahitian grass skirt, teacher training activity
As an undergrad at Bryn Mawr College, I took a number of courses as part of the teacher certification process in the state of Pennsylvania. A couple of them were particularly memorable because of the dedicated educators who taught them and the creative activities they used to develop our understanding of our chosen profession.
In one class our professor asked us to create an analogy for teaching. It was an exercise in reflection. Could we identify all the elements of teaching? Could we prioritize them and illustrate how they were interconnected? I think this was a useful activity for beginning teachers, and now more than fifteen years later I think it is a healthy activity for experienced teachers, too. How do you view our profession? What can you compare it to?
Back in 1993, I came up with the analogy of a Tahitian grass skirt. I had been working during my summer and winter breaks in a Polynesian show, so I had familiarity with the skirt and the dances done in it. I don’t have a copy of the original analogy I submitted to my professor, but I remember it well enough to rewrite and update it for you to enjoy:
Teaching is like dancing in a Tahitian grass skirt. When done well, the dance is exciting and satisfying both for the dancer and the audience. It’s interesting to note that the dance simply doesn’t look the same without the skirt on; the movements are bare. Also, while you can admire the handiwork of the skirt itself, it doesn’t make its best impression until it’s put in motion by the dancer. The real beauty is created by the artful combination of body movement and the movement of the grass. This is like putting a teacher in a classroom with all her classroom tools.
The parts of the skirt can help illustrate the essentials of teaching. The many strands of grass represent strategies and techniques. Some strands fall out while you shake your hips, but if and when the skirt becomes too thin, you can add new layers of grass. Holding all the grass in place is the waistband. It sits comfortably on your hips and is very thick. This fundamental piece is just like a teacher’s knowledge and methodology. It must be firmly in place for the dance to be done well. What keeps the waistband wrapped around you is a strong metal clasp. Clasping the waistband on is like committing yourself to teaching. It must be your choice to put on the skirt, and you must be certain the clasp will hold until the dance is over. Similarly, when you start a lesson, you must be committed to seeing it through.
Dancers may wear different colors and adorn the waistband with different items. Is this not like teachers developing their individual teaching styles and decorating their classrooms? Sometimes dancers of a troupe must wear similar skirts. This is much like teachers working within the same school and teaching under the same curriculum. Even so, there will be opportunity for creativity and personalization. Tahitian dancers often get solos, just as teachers can get the opportunity to make individual contributions to a school.
Finally, it must be mentioned that dancing in the skirt takes training and practice. The more you do it, the better you get. Dancers can learn from one another. There are always new moves to learn and perfect – just like in teaching.
Once we finished writing (and in my case drawing) our analogy, we had to present our work to the class. I especially liked this part of the activity because then we were able to consider what teaching is from several viewpoints. Each student in our class had a completely different analogy. Everyone used an object or activity that had personal meaning in their lives. For me it was dancing in a grass skirt. For another woman it was playing a guitar. That’s as it should be: teaching must be a personal and meaningful experience. What’s your analogy?
Filed under: Student Stumpers | Tags: difficult grammar questions, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, prepositions, prepositions of time, stumpers, tricky grammar
QUESTION: Do for and in mean the same thing when we’re talking about time? My student gave two examples: I haven’t seen him for ages. / I haven’t seen him in ages.
ANSWER: I give preference to in ages, and this is confirmed by at least one dictionary. However, is for ages completely wrong? I don’t think so. If you Google the phrase haven’t for ages, you’ll see a number of ESL/ EFL sites explaining its meaning. Could it be a difference between American English and other Englishes?
With other phrases like for the past hour and in the past hour, the difference is clearer. For is used to express duration and often purpose: She’s been waiting here for the past hour. In is used more to express that something did or didn’t happen within a period: In the past hour he’s called me three times!
Now consider these examples:
- I haven’t exercised in over a week. / I haven’t exercised for over a week.
– Are both correct?
- I didn’t do anything for a long time. BUT I haven’t done anything in a long time.
– If you think both sentences are grammatically correct, does that mean verb tense can dictate which preposition to use?
- I won’t see you for a while. BUT I’ll see you in a while.
– Does for express during that period while in expresses at the end of that period?
Are you yourself stumped?
Filed under: Grammar | Tags: adjective clauses, communicative activity, English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, relative clauses
FISHING FOR CLAUSES: A communicative activity
(Originally published in my book Brainstorming. Moscow: Manager, 2001. This is an updated version.)
Language Focus: Adjective clauses
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Objective: To use targeted words in adjective clauses. All statements must collectively tell a story.
STEP 1 – Write about a dozen common nouns on slips of paper (e.g., dog, bus, book, food). You’ll need at least one slip of paper per student. If you have a small class, you can create two slips per student. Place those slips of paper in a bag (a hat or box will also do).
STEP 2 – Each student takes a turn drawing a word from the bag. The student must use the targeted word in an adjective clause. Each statement must continue to form a narrative. Assistance/ correction can be offered by others. Model:
Student A – (dog) – I don’t like dogs that jump up on me.
Student B – (bus) – I saw such a dog on the bus that I took to school today.
Student C – (book) – The dog jumped on me and I dropped my book,
which I had on my lap.
Etc.
The teacher can record the narrative on the board. At the end, the narrative can be read as a class.
VARIATIONS:
- At the advanced level, you can require used of reduced clauses and more advanced structures such as a fact which or which is why.
- With advanced students, you can also turn the activity into a competitive game. Instead of building a story, the goal can be to steal the word card from the previous student. If Student B can extend the statement of Student A with another adjective clause, Student B can claim the word card from Student A. In any case, Student B takes his/ her turn as normal, drawing a new word card and making a new statement. The process continues, and Student C now has the chance to steal Student B’s word card. Whoever has the most cards at the end wins. Model:
Student A – (dog) – I don’t like dogs that jump up on me.
Student B (chance to steal) – I don’t like dogs that jump up on me,
which is why I stay away from my neighbor’s dog.
Student B (regular turn) – (bus) – The bus (that) I take to school is often late.
Filed under: Vocabulary | Tags: English with Jennifer. idioms, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, teaching vocabulary
A recent online thread of conversation within a TESOL Interest Section prompted me to reflect on how effectively I teach idioms. The participants of the conversation debated how best to assess students’ mastery of English idioms.
To arrive at some answer it’s important to consider the environment and circumstances in which you teach. For example, when I make a lesson for YouTube, I know I have a 10-minute limit, but I can devote all 10 minutes to giving a vocabulary lesson. In the traditional classroom, the prescribed curriculum and school schedule creates your framework. If an idiom appears within a grammar or reading lesson, there may be only enough time to explain the meaning of the expression. However, if you’re teaching within the context of a vocabulary lesson and the class lasts for 45 minutes, you likely have time to do more than just address the meaning.
What can be offered beyond the definition of an idiom? A few times I noted the etymology of an expression because knowing the origin of an idiom can help a student understand and retain it. I’ve also begun to address the grammar each expression requires in its usage. Does it function like an adjective or an adverb? My exercises check students’ comprehension and encourage meaningful use of each expression. This approach, which is used to teach three items at a time, just about fills the 10-minute limit. But should I consider modifying my approach to include other aspects and other forms of practice? What about in your classroom? Have you tried to address more than just the meaning of an idiom? If so, then how?
- Register. We could make a stronger effort to clarify the register of expressions that we teach. Most idioms and sayings tend to be informal, but a good number remain appropriate in professional settings. For example, you may not want to talk about making a killing within a business presentation to the higher-ups at your company at the risk of sounding crude, but to mention a competitor’s cash cow is acceptable.
- Appropriacy. I recently taught expressions related to bulls. Perhaps I could have clarified in which relationships two people lock horns and in which situations you should take the bull by the horns. I had hoped that through my examples and the comprehension checks, students would understand the appropriacy of each expression, but my instruction could have been more direct.
What forms of exercises could take students beyond the meaning of idioms?
- For register we could design a true/ false exercise. Model:
- You can advise your friend to take the bull by the horns. T or F?
- You can advise your co-worker to take the bull by the horns. T or F?
- You can advise your boss to take the bull by the horns. T or F?
- A father can advise his son to take the bull by the horns. T or F?
- A student can advise her professor to take the bull by the horns. T or F?
- For appropriacy we could design an editing exercise. Model:
Decide if the expression is used appropriately. If not, explain why.
- For a long time I couldn’t decide what to order off the menu, but then I took the bull by the horns and told the waiter to bring me a fish sandwich.
- I can’t fix the sink myself, but I can take the bull by the horns and call a plumber.
You can kill two birds with one stone (a nice idiom to know!) and have students create their own examples for discussion. However, this exercise would likely require attention to a number of aspects, including meaning, grammar, register, and appropriacy. The advantage of an exercise designed by you is that you can limit the focus to appropriacy, making certain students understand in which situations the idiom is acceptable.
Filed under: Classroom Tips | Tags: EnglishwithJennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, professionalism in the classroom, taboo topics in the classroom
When I was a teacher trainer, I raised the issue of taboo topics. I did not merely want to state a list and warn trainees never to allow such topics into their classroom. I wanted them to consider the appropriateness of the topics and justify or challenge their use with adult language learners. My personal position is that there are a great deal of topics to discuss without ever having to utter or write a single word about sex, drugs, and violence, so there is no need to invite conflict by choosing highly controversial issues or cause embarrassment by allowing extremely personal talk. However, within a respectful and mature atmosphere, so-called taboo topics can be addressed in a professional manner in order to achieve language learning goals. Don’t believe me? Here are some examples:
- DEATH. Tip: Use real-world contexts, but favor softer views over harsher ones.
I once used obituaries to illustrate how purpose dictates form and language structures. We looked at two samples from the local paper. I purposely chose people who had lived to an old age and left behind memorable accomplishments and many loved ones. We examined the similarities in organization of content. Then we noted expressions such as beloved father, was known for, and leaves (behind) his wife, three children, and six grandchildren. I then had students think about the kind of life they wanted to lead and the kind of person they would like to be remembered as. Using the organization from the samples as well as the language forms we had noted on the board, each student wrote his or her own obituary. It wasn’t morbid in the least. Students were either amused or inspired. Everyone chose to live past 80. Some fancied themselves famous in the future and wrote accordingly. Others envisioned their dreams coming true: a happy marriage, a successful career, etc.
- PERSONAL BELIEFS. Tip: Don’t jump into serious topics. Transition from lighter ones.
Around Halloween it seems appropriate to bring up the topic of ghosts and the supernatural. I’ve witnessed students excitedly write their own scary stories in honor of this U.S. holiday. But even at other times of the year, superstitions and the supernatural can find their way into a language lesson. In fact, I remember one conversation book having an entire unit on this topic. I covered that unit many times with different groups of students. I clearly recall one group wanting to share their views on ghosts and the afterlife. At first, I was hesitant to go near the topic of religion, but I then allowed the discussion to go forward with the warning that we would allow each student to express his or her views and be respectful even if we strongly disagreed. They were more than respectful. That group was eager to understand everyone’s beliefs, and I merely played the role of moderator, making sure that each person had speaking time.
- DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. Tip: Allow opposing views to be expressed within a structured format.
I once took inspiration from a book of conversation games and experimented with debate through role play. The topic was whether or not to lower the drinking age in the U.S. Each student received a role card: police officer, judge, high school teacher, college student, teenager, parent, etc. They each had to voice an opinion while assuming their roles. Later they were invited to express their personal beliefs.
- SEX. Tip: Keep the strictly taboo off-limits.
Okay. I admit this is one topic that I would not want to delve into much detail with students of any age. However, lightly touching upon it is possible. As part of a conversation class on parent-child relationships, I asked my students to brainstorm questions that most parents don’t want to answer. The list caused laughter, and it inevitably included How was I born? and other variants: Where did I come from? What’s sex? How did that baby get in the mother’s tummy?
Filed under: Classroom Tips | Tags: English With Jennifer, Jennifer Lebedev, JenniferESL, professionalism in the classroom, taboo topics in the classroom
There are certain topics generally viewed as taboo. They are either viewed with extreme caution or avoided all together. Why?
- We don’t want to cause embarrassment. Let’s face it. Even with our best friends there are facts we don’t care to share. Sex is taboo for a reason. It’s highly personal. There are some aspects of our lives that don’t have a place in the classroom, and our sexual activities are a clear example. Some students may have less reservation than others about sharing private information, but limits should definitely be respected to avoid embarrassment.
- We don’t want to cause discomfort. Some topics do not exactly embarrass people because no one is divulging overly personal details, but at the same time the very nature of a topic can create unease. Death and war are examples of topics that can upset sensitive students. If students experience a negative emotion throughout a lesson, learning is hindered because a positive atmosphere is required for a successful outcome.
- We don’t want to cause offense. Highly controversial topics can spark the wrong kind of debates. Instead of promoting self-expression, discussion can become a vehicle to promote a set of beliefs as being superior to all others. For this reason, religion is generally taboo.
- We don’t want to be unprofessional. You may have partied quite a bit in your college days, but to glorify past drinking binges would threaten your professional image. You need to maintain students’ respect. This is one reason why alcohol and drugs are usually approached with caution as topics for language lessons. It’s also possible for your attitude toward a student to be altered for the worse in the face of the discovery that she or he has used drugs in the past.
I believe, however, that so-called taboo topics can be broached if done with respect for others and respect for the classroom. I’ve experimented in the past, weaving delicate topics into language lessons. The success of those lessons was due in part to the following practices:
- Stating rules. At the outset of a debate, it’s good to explain rules of conduct for the sake of maintaining order as well as practicing tolerance. Examples: Only one person will speak at a time. Disagree respectfully.
- Being sensitive. We constantly need to be attuned to our students. Watch their body language and facial expressions. You can always steer the lesson in a new direction if a topic is causing discomfort of some form.
- Bearing in mind language goals. There are interesting questions to discuss and interesting ideas to consider, but perhaps the best place for all this is outside the classroom. You need to be able to justify the use of a delicate topic as a means to achieve a language goal.
In my next posting, I will share concrete examples of activities I did using so-called taboo topics.
