[ola] Re: Students constructing understanding of grammar
- From: Caleb Zilmer <caleb_zilmer@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2014 16:51:52 -0500
There is a significant body of research on "syllabus" and "universal grammar"
(the last mostly from Noam Chomsky, and which TPRS'rs really get behind, though
I understand the theory has also been deeply criticized). They both deal with
the idea that there is a pre-set series of grammar structures in the brain (as
far as I understand the theory), and that those structures are acquired in a
predictable order at different stages of language proficiency.
For example, in English definite articles (a, an, the) are one of the last
things acquired (with any degree of accuracy). I have heard the question asked:
Why, then, is that one of the first things we teach to English language
learners?
I don't know to what extent these syllabi have been mapped for different
languages, but if you want to learn more of some of this theory these terms
would be a good place to start...
Enviado desde el iPhone de Caleb Zilmer
> El 01/04/2014, a las 23:46, JoAnna Coleman <joannac@xxxxxxx> escribió:
>
> That's awesome! I think one of the most difficult things as a teacher is to
> wait until THEY are ready and, at the same time, to just give them what they
> need, and not everything! and to remember that their learning is a much
> longer process than just your year long class - I catch myself trying to
> force feed too much sometimes, and have to step back and then other moments
> it's so cool when kids are at that point when they are ready for the next
> step (as your student below) and they're like "profe, como se dice 'yo voy'
> ayer? or nosotros fui?
>
> JoAnna Coleman
> Spanish Teacher
> Wilson High School
> 503-916-5280 ext. 75231
> joannac@xxxxxxx
> http://profecoleman.wordpress.com/
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Ruth
> Whalen Crockett <rwhalen@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 5:45 PM
> To: ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [ola] Students constructing understanding of grammar
>
> Yesterday my Spanish five kids were engaged in an activity where they took on
> a secret role of a famous person and their peers asked them questions about
> themselves working to guesses who they were. I went into the activity hoping
> they would practice the present perfect and was quickly reminded that they
> weren't ready for this forced grammatical goal. As I stepped back from MY
> goal and listened carefully, I was struck by how much difficulty they were
> having with Ser and estar. They were making a mess of this. I just listened
> and asked them to do some investigating before today's lesson. My goal for
> today was for them to teach me when to use Ser and when to use estar.
>
> I ended up getting a fierce cold yesterday afternoon and I was in no shape to
> teach this morning. My sub plan, look over our last four short stories and
> using examples from the stories, teach me the rules or Ser and Estar. I got
> this note from one of students this evening:
>
> "Hola,
>
> Estaba buscando ejemplos en clase del uso de ser y estar hoy, y me duve
> cuento que nunca vio un uso de estar con un sustantivo (como en "estoy un
> pianista" debe ser "ser") y no puedo imaginar un caso en cual se use "estar"
> así ¿Es verdad que siempre se usa estar con un adjetivo y nunca con un
> sustantivo?
>
> (También, me pregunto si siempre use "estar" con los participios pasados -
> como "está muerto" o "estoy asustada" - pero, no estoy muy seguro en eso)"
>
> This email got me really excited. I feel like I can see that this student is
> ready for this type of grammatical understanding. He was a student who was
> most surprising me by his mistakes because he makes many fewer mistakes than
> his peers but frequently makes mistakes with over using estar. It looks like
> he was ready for this lesson.
>
> I'm interested in harvesting more examples of readiness as this is exactly
> what I need in helping nervous parents to understand what we are trying to do.
>
> What do you think? Does this jive with your practice? Am I way off the
> mark? Please weigh in.
>
> Ruthie
>
>
> Ruth E. Whalen Crockett
> Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School &
> Theodore R. Sizer Regional Teachers Center
>
>
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