ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of English Language & Applied Linguistics)
Course: EFL in the Classroom-II (5662)
Semester: Autumn, 2022 Level: Dip-TEFL
Name: Shahid Mahmood REG: (06PBR0773)
Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 40
ASSIGNMENT No. 1 (Units 1-9)
Note: Attempt all questions. All questions carry equal marks.
Q.1 what do you mean by the term games? How can games be
used for teaching grammar at intermediate level of
language learning? Design two activities. (10)
Answer: Games have been defined variously by many scholars and researchers.
According to one dictionary definition, a game is an activity carried out by
cooperating or competing decision-makers, seeking to achieve, within a set
of rules, their objectives. Another definition describes games as a form of
play that governed certain rules and conventions. Games are an agreeable
way of getting a class to use its initiative in English. As they are gently
competitive, they increase motivation and contrast to periods of intensive
study. Use of games for tenses at an intermediate level of language
learning: Shelagh Rixon and Mac-Mil Ian have illustrated the difference
between games and play very nicely. A game consists of a play governed
by rules. Kicking a ball around in a park is a play; adding rules about how
and where one can kick the ball and giving your efforts an objective turns
this play into a game. Games have certain rules, elements of competition,
objectives and enjoyment and therefore can be applied to teaching grammar
or tenses to intermediate level students. Games to teach grammar and
tenses are useful in English language classes when it is sure that students
are absorbing comfortably. Although traditional ways of teaching tenses
are useful at the beginning of the establishment of a grammar point, games
are actually even more useful at the end. While a student can usually
successfully reproduce a grammar point on paper once he or she has
learned it, it’s more difficult to reproduce a rule like this in a freer setting,
such as a game. If games and their rules are properly explained and
established by the teacher, they can be a great way to reinforce grammar
points that have already been introduced in class. However, it’s important
to keep in mind that the fun of the activity does not eclipse its usefulness.
Games may be fun for the student, but they do require effort and planning
on the part of the teacher. Secondly, choose games wisely and pick a game
that reinforces a grammar point that you’ve recently taught. It is important
to remain vigilant about enforcing the rules. Of course, the game should be
fun too, so don’t enforce grammar points that haven’t been covered yet. It’s
also best to avoid grammar points that have very recently been covered and
need more study time before students are prepared to use them in games.
When students make mistakes with grammar points that aren’t the main
point of the game, those errors don’t necessarily need to be penalized.
ESL Past Tense Activities for Intermediate Students
1-One More Time Activity First, let’s have a look at One More Time. This is a
whole group or small group activity in which students create a story in the
past tense, using lesson-relevant vocabulary and/or pictures. The following
are the steps for the activity: First, divide students into groups of 4 or 5, or
begin the activity in a whole group setting. Second, hand out a list of
vocabulary words and/or a sheet of paper with content-relevant pictures.
Third, explain to students they are to create a story in the past tense,
beginning with 'One time, _____.' You can have students in the group play
round-robin style by each contributing a sentence, or you can have each
student create a story of his/her own. And finally, ensure that students
understand the activity, tell an example story, while emphasizing the past
tense version of all verbs being used.
2-Past Tense Bingo: Irregular Verbs Activity Now let's take a look at Past
Tense Bingo: Irregular Verbs. You can use this game once students are
familiar with the past tense form of many irregular verbs. You create a
variety of bingo cards using 25 irregular verbs on each. In order to keep the
bingo cards different from one another, aim to use at least 50 different
irregular verbs total. Give each student a bingo card along with paper clips
or chips to use as the word markers. Call out the present tense of an
irregular verb from your word list. If students have the past tense of that
irregular verb, they will mark it off. Give the students a few moments to
convert the verbs to past tense before moving into the next word. The first
student to get 5 words in a row wins.
Q.2 Define the term dramatization? How role-play can be used effectively in
teaching speaking skills? Discuss it with examples.
Answer:
Drama is a convenient umbrella term for activities that involve an
element of let’s pretend. All the terms like pretending, drama, drama
technique, dramatic activities, role-playing, and simulation fall under the
phenomena of dramatization. These can include role-playing, simulation,
and some language games. It can be said that dramatization includes all
those activities in which students play themselves in an imaginary situation
or play an imaginary person in an imaginary situation. So, we can say that
dramatization in TEFL involves the opportunity of providing students a
chance to use language in an imaginative and creative way so that they
could develop skills of fluency and appropriacy.
Role-play can be used very effectively by using it in the classroom
to help develop speaking skills. Having highly developed speaking skills
means one has the ability to verbally express one's thoughts in a clear
manner. Using activities centered on some sort of performance will directly
impact the development of speaking skills.
For example, a high school teacher covering a unit of
Shakespeare's Merchant of Vince could have students act out specific
scenes from the play. The fact that the language in such a play is difficult
will actually help promote the importance of clear expression. When a
student takes a turn as the speaker, fluency and verbal pronunciation will be
developed.
In addition, the strong speakers can also model proper speech to
other students who might struggle with those skills. Pronunciation, natural
pauses, and intonation of voice can all be learned through listening to other
speakers.
In short, role-play can be used to promote students’ speaking skills
effectively at a various levels from school to university.
Q.3. What is the difference between objective tests and subjective
tests? Write about three kinds of objective tests which can be used by
the language teacher keeping in view their utility to teach language?
Support your answers with examples.
Answer: The main difference between subjective and objective tests lies in
the fact that the later aim to assess a specific part of the learner’s
knowledge using questions which have a single correct answer whereas the
former aim to assess areas of students’ performance that are complex and
qualitative, using questioning which may have more than one correct
answer or more ways to express it. Subjective tests mean making
assumptions, interpretations based on personal opinions. Objectives means
making unbiased, balanced observation based on facts which can be
verified.
Three Types of Objective Tests:
1-Multiple-choice tests: They are very well-known tests that are very
commonly used at all levels to test students. They are easy to administer
and mark. However, there are some weaknesses with it. The first one is that
they are very difficult to construct and secondly it is in the fact that to make
it reliable and to eliminate the distortion of the result by chance guesswork,
the test has of necessity to be long.
Example: 1- Ali arrived _____ Monday. A- in B- on C- at D- of
2-True/False objective tests: In these types of objective tests students are
asked to say whether a statement is true or false. These types of tests can have a
subjective added dimension to them by asking students to correct any false
statement. A variation of this type is called correct/incorrect.
Example: The past indefinite tense uses “do/does” to make questions.
True/False
The only problem these objective tests have is that students already have a 50
percent chance of the correct answer.
3-Completion: This type of test requires students to complete the
sentences with words or phrases. They can be either objective completely
or somewhat subjective. Example: He cut ….. his food into small pieces.
He cut up his food and ………
Although there are many types of objective tests but the requirement of the
assignment demands for only three types which have been given above.
Q.4 Distinguish between errors and mistake, justify the use of Error
analysis in TEFL (10)
Answer: MISTAKES AND ERRORS: In order to analyze learner language
in an appropriate perspective, it is crucial to make a distinction between
mistakes and errors, technically two very different phenomena. Mistake –
refers to a performance error that is either a random guess or a “slip”, in
that is a failure to utilize a known system correctly. Native speakers make
mistakes. When attention is called to them, they can be self-corrected.
Error –a noticeable deviation from the adult grammar of a native speaker,
reflects the competence of the learner.
ERRORS (E) & Mistakes (M): E: Level of Competence which a learner
has achieved. M: Limitations of Performance which a learner would be
able to correct. An error cannot be self-corrected, according to James
(1998), while mistakes can be self-corrected if the deviation is pointed out
to the speaker. E: While the errors are a result of one’s systematic
competence (the learner’s system is incorrect). i.e. likely to occur
repeatedly and not recognized by the learner. Hence, only the teacher or
researcher would locate them, the learner would not (Gass and Selinker,
1994). E: Error reflects gaps in a learner‘s knowledge. M: Mistakes are
referred to as performance errors (the learner knows the system but fails to
use it). M: Mistake reflects occasional lapses in performance.
The second part of the questions demands for the justification of the
use of Error analysis in TEFL.There are two main justifications which
can be given. They are: Corder (1981:112) suggests that there are two
justifications for studying learners' errors: its relevance to language teaching and
the study of the language acquisition process. Sercombe (2000) explains that
EA serves three purposes: Firstly, to find out the level of language
proficiency the learner has reached. Secondly, to obtain information about
common difficulties in language learning. Thirdly, to find out how people
learn a language.
Teaching of English as Foreign Language (TEFL) is about the teaching of
English to the foreign learners and its justifications as given above by Pit
Corder and Sercombe are the best justifications for the use of error
analysis.
Q.5 Give a brief comparison of Testing & Assessment. How would you
explain Evaluation? (10)
Answer: It is normally seen that assessment in classroom is as a discrete (separate)
activity separate from teaching and learning. Testing, Assessment and
Evaluation are essential components of teaching and learning. Without an
effective evaluation program it is impossible to know whether students
have learned, whether teaching has been effective, or how best to address
student learning needs. When it comes right down to it, a test is a
measuring device, no different in principle from a ruler, a weighing scale,
or a thermometer. A language test is an instrument for measuring language
ability. We can even think of it in terms of quantity: how much of a
language does a person possess? But what does it mean to say that we want
to measure ability or quantity of language? In what sense can we actually
measure a concept as abstract as language ability?
On the other hand, language assessment involves obtaining
evidence to inform inferences about a person’s language-related
knowledge, skills or abilities. Assessment in education is the process of
gathering, interpreting, recording, and using information about pupils’
responses to an educational task. (Harlen, Gipps, Broadfoot, Nuttal,
1992) .Assessment is the process of gathering information on student
learning. The traditional view that separates assessment from teaching
may result from the identification of the word assessment with the narrower
activity of testing. For some commentators, assessment is distinguished
from testing because it covers a much broader cycle of activities.
In contrast to tests, other forms of assessment may involve such
activities as:
• Informal questioning in class by teachers;
• Semi-formal exercises and quizzes carried out in class;
• Learners reflecting on their own use of language – self-assessment
• Learners judging each other’s performance – peer assessment
• The collection of samples of language that have not been elicited
According to any fixed or formal plan. Examples of this include
Observations and some forms of portfolio assessment.
Evaluation is the process of analyzing, reflecting upon, and
summarizing assessment information, and making judgments and/or
decisions based on the information collected.
To make it short, it can be safely concluded that evaluation is the
overall process which includes tests and assessments.
Q.6 Explain ten characteristics of the execution of most effective EFL
lesson plan by exemplifying a model lesson plan. (20)
The effectiveness of a lesson depends on its effective planning and
execution of it. If a teacher is efficient but the delivery of a lesson is not
up to the mark, it becomes useless activity. There are some steps to
execute a good lesson plan but some of the important ones are being
discussed below.
1- Warm up: There should be a warm up activity to make students
feel that they are in a classroom.
2- Technique of class management: If the teaching is not the type of
lockstep then a teacher has to organize different learning
formations for different purposes and activities.
3- Presentation of materials: if a teacher is presenting a basic
structure such as there is/are simple demonstration would be far
more appropriate than a narrative. It is better to put some object on
the table and draw attention towards it by saying that "there is a
bag on the table" instead of narrating it in long passages. So good
presentation of stuff is very important. Sometimes it can be
narrative and others presentative.
4_ Questioning: The third important step is questioning. Teachers'
questions must be graded, directed and appropriate according to the
level of students who belong to different abilities.
5_ Awareness and correction of errors: It is the responsibility of a
good teacher to know when to correct and when to leave alone. There
should be an instant correction when it is controlled practice but non_
correction with the production stage. Consistency is important so that
students should know what to expect.
6_ Maintenance of interest: It is important for teachers to maintain the
interest of learners. Most students are found bored in lockstep
teaching. So to avoid it teacher must divide the class into groups,
pairs and etc for different activities.
7_ involvement and encouragement of learners: This is another
important step in the execution of a good lesson . When a teacher
moves out of lockstep students are found to be more active to a great
extent. Involvement does not mean only asking questions but
engaging learners and initiating communication. Encouragement is
also an important thing for the execution of a good lesson plan. It is
important to find opportunities to praise students, particularly while
correcting their mistakes.
8- Checking of learning: The seventh step is the checking of learning.
As it is the duty of a teacher to test his or her students at the end of
the lesson, he or she should check them by different activities to
check their comprehension of the lesson. He or she should avoid the
word “test” and use other words such as checking exercises to see
what has been learned at the end of the lesson.
9-Ability to adapt and extemporize: The final step is the ability to adapt
and extemporize by the teacher in the light of the changed
atmosphere of the class. It is common that a planned lesson does not
go well as it is planned because of some uncertain issues which
suddenly crop in such as interruption in the class, cancelation of
class, the problem with cassettes or other hardware stuff and
rehearsal for school or college functions. So a teacher must be ready
to adapt and extemporize. The execution of a good lesson plan
depends on many steps but the above-mentioned steps are very
common and important.
10- Finally, a teacher should end his or her lesson on giving homework.
Although, there are some other characteristics but the important ones have
been enlisted above.
Q.7 Describe some language teaching activities which can be carried
out with the help of wall-charts.
Answer: Wall-charts are most commonly used visual aids in Pakistani
schools, colleges and universities. There are two types of wall chart.
They are:
1- One type of wall charts are those which are prepared by teachers or
students using a large cardboard sheet; these are usually on one
topic, for example; parts of the human body, sources of energy and
so on.
2- The other types are commercially published wall charts available
in the market. They are usually found at stationary shops and have
different themes and topics, for example; Mughal Kings, Wild
animals, traffic signs and so on.
Wall charts are used to give meaning to the language being taught.
They supply. They provide a context for an activity.
1-Activity for language: For example, a dialogue on weather can be
accompanied by a chart which illustrates what is being spoken about:
Ali: What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?
Usama: (By looking at picture on the chart). I think it may rain.
Ahmed: (Looking at another wall chart). I do not think so. It will be a
dry tomorrow.
Ali: I agree with Usama. I think it will rain.
Activity 2: For example, there is a chart showing a street scene. By the
help of this activity, students can be asked to see the chart and are
asked to talk about their dresses, locations they are moving to,
directions and what they are doing at the moment. Such type of
activity can stimulate language discussion.
Other activities can be given through wall charts such as showing
those following:
1-A chart of picture showing the story of Cinderella
2-A chart showing a seed growing into a tree
3-A chart showing a farmer in the field
4-A chart showing different means of transportation
To conclude it, it can be assumed that wall chart can be very useful in
teaching language. So many activities can be designed in classroom to
practice language.
Q.8 Discuss comparative use and effectiveness of multimedia vs
overhead projector in ESL Classroom. (10)
Answer:
Multimedia is a form of communication that uses combination of
different content forms such as text, audio, images, animation or video
into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to traditional mass media,
such as print media. Popular examples of multimedia include video
podcasts, audio slideshows and animated videos.
In classroom, multimedia is used to produce computer-based training
courses. Multimedia provides students with alternate means of acquiring
knowledge designed to enhance teaching and learning through various
mediums and platforms.
Lessons can be tailored to the subject matter as well as be
personalized to the level of students’ varying levels of knowledge on a
topic.
Learning content can be managed through activities that utilize and
take advantage of multimedia platforms.
Multimedia encourages interactive communication between
students and teachers.
Group video report foster team building and provides hands on
experience with new technology. Video language lesson can help
speed learning. Slideshow presentations can be used for almost any
subject and are easy to create using video editing software. You can
slideshows to enhance your lessons and ask students to deliever their
reports in slideshow format.
On the other hand overhead Projector is a machine for
projecting a still image on screen or wall. Since it can be written
and drawn on, it can be converted to blackboard. It has a light from
a bulb that can be passed through a glass surface and focuses on a
mirror. This mirror reflects the light onto a screen. If you put a
transparency on the glass surface with a picture or text on it, it will
be projected onto the screen in enlarged form.
It is easy to handle and presents few technical problems. Colorful
markers can be used to make writing more interesting. One can prepare
transparency beforehand if one is not sure of the quality of his or her
writing. Teacher can hide what he or she wishes to for the control of the
content. It is easy to carry from class to class.
Q.9 Define large class. How can teacher successfully teach English
to a large class of 150 mixed-ability students? Write ten
suggestions to handle such class. (10)
Answer: Defining large class is a difficult task as there are many
views about the size of the class. However, a large class can be defined
as the one where the number of students alone causes additional
problems for both teaching and learning.
The above given definition may look vague but it can be taken as
working definition. Some scholars say that 15 to 20 students are
sufficient to make that particular class ideal. The others say that 20 to
25 students are sufficient. Some academicians accept that a class of 40
students with smaller space and unmovable furniture may cause more
problem than the 60 students with bigger space and portable furniture.
The second part of the questions asks that how can a teacher teach English
to a class of 150 students with mixed-ability? Although it is not ideal size
of the class to teach English however, if situation happens then there are
certain suggestions or ways to teach English to such a large number of
classes effectively. They are:
1- A teacher can divide the students into groups if the size of the class
is very large.
2- Grouping should be fair. It means there should be an equal mix-up
of low, average and higher level students in group.
3- A teacher can divide the class into pairs if the class size is not too
large.
4- Different groups should be given different activities on a same
topic.
5- All the students should play their part in group and pair work.
6- Common observations should be dealt and addressed instead of
focusing on individual problems.
7- Students with individual and severe issues can be advised to see
the teachers in office hours.
8- A teacher should be audible to all the students equally.
9- Low level students should be encouraged to participate in
discussion and be linked with good students.
10- Seating plan must be as such that a teacher can have an easy access
to all of them to observe or monitor their performance.
These above given were the some suggestions which can be prove
fruitful in case of handling large classes.
