Form vs Meaning In ESL Teaching
Teaching English can be a daunting task for teachers and even more so for learners! Depending on the culture, some focus on Form and some focus on meaning! And sometimes they study in the same class making it very difficult for teachers. Having exercises in lessons that combine both Form and Meaning is essential.
In the early days of language teaching, the predominant methodology was the Grammar Transition method whereby the correct Form was critical to language success. This method is still being used in some Asian countries. It has only been more recently that Meaning has caught up in importance in terms of language study in certain cultures.
So let’s define the two: First
FORM
Analyzing Language: Form
Teaching Form meant students learnt English like they were building a bridge! Even today, having sat in English lessons in Asian countries, it is more like an Engineering class than an English class! The teacher will use incredibly difficult “teacher words” to describe situations. Such as, “after the auxiliary verb, you place the infinitive and not the gerund….” This type of language is extremely difficult for students to grasp. It is hard for some native teachers to understand! It is not necessary for students to learn all the teacher verbs. For example, infinitive and gerund - really not necessary to introduce the student to these two words. I describe these as to+verb or verb+ing.
Alternatively, the students are asked to translate material from their native language to English. Translation techniques were also quite popular with the Form technique. And it is still, sadly going on, as language learning in some countries in Asia is about memorizing and being the fastest translator.
Because the studying “Form” was a main focus of their English education, cultural understandings were missed and the ability to communicate outside of standard structures were and ARE not taught. Even today.
In many countries today, focusing on Form is still very important. “Form” teachings have changed a little by essentially there is still a desire to teach Form. One of the “new” ways to teach English form is through drilling. Written exercises have been replaced with simple repetition drills. This constitutes speaking in English. And as the students do it as a group in class, they can feel comfortable and not placed in a stressful situation where they need to speak their own thoughts.
I don’t mind some Choral Repetition in class. This can relax some shy students and it can act as a good warm up! Especially after lunch when everyone is sleepy. I love to practice intonation and rhythm with choral repetition. This type of drill can be very fun and loosen the class up. Make them less shy with each other especially if we can be a little silly.
Now let’s take a look at Meaning.
Seeing the form of a grammar point is quite easy for the students, but understanding the meaning can be complex.
In Asian, many of the teachers are not able to explain the cultural nuances of the language.
Therefore, there is an increase of Asian students and TEACHERS studying abroad to get a widen vision of the English language and its meaning.
One of the most popular techniques to help students understand the meaning is through the use of Concept Check Questions.
Check your students' understanding of the new structure even before the say a word of it. This will save them from repeating drills meaninglessly. check questions can be asked at any point in the lesson, except during the free practice.
For example,
I’ve known my friend Mary since I left school.
T: Is Mary at school?
Am I at school?
Did I know Mary before I left school?
Did I meet Mary after I left school?
Do I know her now?
Is she my friend now?
Was she my friend at school?
Remember…
One of the easiest ways to present a structure clearly and simply is by showing it directly. It can be shown with clocks and times to show tenses or relia to show prepositions – on the box, in the box, under the box etc.
Showing the Meaning: Through a Situation
Another way of showing the meaning is to think of a situation outside of the class where the structure is used naturally. Using a dialogue to teach the structure of the language is a “real-life” situation is now one of the most popular techniques to show Meaning. But I love Mobile Learing where you can take the students out of the class and practice English in a real-life situation - at the coffee shop is at natural mobile learning extension of the situational roleplay of a waiter and a customer. Take your students to the coffee shop and teach them there. I love that concept.
My favourite is presenting meaning through the Flipped Class or through Project-Based Learning. you have heard me speak alot about these tow concepts. I really love doing the project-based learning. Having the students complete a project that may take several hours or several weeks can be quite rewarding. However for teachers, keeping them on task and focused on the correct language usage is the challenge.
For me, Both Form and Meaning are equally important in language learning. That is why we broke down the Study It Grammar and Conversation books in the manner that focuses on both Form and Meaning. However, do not forget, as I discussed at the opening of the podcast, you may need to focus more Form or more Meaning strategies depending on where your students are coming from.
I am going to post this transcript up on to the website www.thejamesriceschow.com so you can read it, think about it and perhaps send me your thoughts or questions on the subject.
And that is Teacher Talk for this week.
In the early days of language teaching, the predominant methodology was the Grammar Transition method whereby the correct Form was critical to language success. This method is still being used in some Asian countries. It has only been more recently that Meaning has caught up in importance in terms of language study in certain cultures.
So let’s define the two: First
FORM
- language is broken down and everything is learned separately.
- Each part is practiced until students are familiar
- Lesson plans are logical
- Follows the 5 Stages of a Lesson - warm up, presentation, practice, production and feedback.
- themes are based around grammar structure – present perfect, past perfect, 1st conditional – each is taught separately. In our Study It Grammar Books, we do follow a “form” style of lesson
- students are presented natural situations
- Grammar is presented indirectly through speaking and learning.
- Students remember rules through situational examples
- Often students are asked to use their own experience
- In our Study it Conversation textbooks, we break down the units in this style.
Analyzing Language: Form
Teaching Form meant students learnt English like they were building a bridge! Even today, having sat in English lessons in Asian countries, it is more like an Engineering class than an English class! The teacher will use incredibly difficult “teacher words” to describe situations. Such as, “after the auxiliary verb, you place the infinitive and not the gerund….” This type of language is extremely difficult for students to grasp. It is hard for some native teachers to understand! It is not necessary for students to learn all the teacher verbs. For example, infinitive and gerund - really not necessary to introduce the student to these two words. I describe these as to+verb or verb+ing.
Alternatively, the students are asked to translate material from their native language to English. Translation techniques were also quite popular with the Form technique. And it is still, sadly going on, as language learning in some countries in Asia is about memorizing and being the fastest translator.
Because the studying “Form” was a main focus of their English education, cultural understandings were missed and the ability to communicate outside of standard structures were and ARE not taught. Even today.
In many countries today, focusing on Form is still very important. “Form” teachings have changed a little by essentially there is still a desire to teach Form. One of the “new” ways to teach English form is through drilling. Written exercises have been replaced with simple repetition drills. This constitutes speaking in English. And as the students do it as a group in class, they can feel comfortable and not placed in a stressful situation where they need to speak their own thoughts.
I don’t mind some Choral Repetition in class. This can relax some shy students and it can act as a good warm up! Especially after lunch when everyone is sleepy. I love to practice intonation and rhythm with choral repetition. This type of drill can be very fun and loosen the class up. Make them less shy with each other especially if we can be a little silly.
Now let’s take a look at Meaning.
Seeing the form of a grammar point is quite easy for the students, but understanding the meaning can be complex.
In Asian, many of the teachers are not able to explain the cultural nuances of the language.
Therefore, there is an increase of Asian students and TEACHERS studying abroad to get a widen vision of the English language and its meaning.
One of the most popular techniques to help students understand the meaning is through the use of Concept Check Questions.
Check your students' understanding of the new structure even before the say a word of it. This will save them from repeating drills meaninglessly. check questions can be asked at any point in the lesson, except during the free practice.
For example,
I’ve known my friend Mary since I left school.
T: Is Mary at school?
Am I at school?
Did I know Mary before I left school?
Did I meet Mary after I left school?
Do I know her now?
Is she my friend now?
Was she my friend at school?
Remember…
- The target structure must not appear in the concept question.
- Reduce the target structure to a number of simple statements (usually two or three) that describe the meaning o0f that structure.
- Turn those statements into questions.
One of the easiest ways to present a structure clearly and simply is by showing it directly. It can be shown with clocks and times to show tenses or relia to show prepositions – on the box, in the box, under the box etc.
Showing the Meaning: Through a Situation
Another way of showing the meaning is to think of a situation outside of the class where the structure is used naturally. Using a dialogue to teach the structure of the language is a “real-life” situation is now one of the most popular techniques to show Meaning. But I love Mobile Learing where you can take the students out of the class and practice English in a real-life situation - at the coffee shop is at natural mobile learning extension of the situational roleplay of a waiter and a customer. Take your students to the coffee shop and teach them there. I love that concept.
My favourite is presenting meaning through the Flipped Class or through Project-Based Learning. you have heard me speak alot about these tow concepts. I really love doing the project-based learning. Having the students complete a project that may take several hours or several weeks can be quite rewarding. However for teachers, keeping them on task and focused on the correct language usage is the challenge.
For me, Both Form and Meaning are equally important in language learning. That is why we broke down the Study It Grammar and Conversation books in the manner that focuses on both Form and Meaning. However, do not forget, as I discussed at the opening of the podcast, you may need to focus more Form or more Meaning strategies depending on where your students are coming from.
I am going to post this transcript up on to the website www.thejamesriceschow.com so you can read it, think about it and perhaps send me your thoughts or questions on the subject.
And that is Teacher Talk for this week.
