Continuous tenses and continuing learning: a broader view of grammar, learning processes and teaching strategies

Jane Williswww.willis-elt.co.uk

1 There is no direct and predictable relationship between teaching and learning.

2 Some aspects of language seem to be known and not known at the same time. (Learning and acquisition).

3 Learners pick up language they have not been taught.

4 Learners create language to meet their needs.

5 Instruction does seem to make learning more efficient.

Grammar of structure: some examples

Learning process: recognition

Recognition

She working She is working

The cat black The black cat

She is working at home Is she working…?

She’ll be working at home Will she be working …?

I know a guy who he lives near here.

Grammar of orientation

We use the present continuous tense to talk about something that is happening at the moment of speaking:

I’m just leaving work. I’ll be home in an hour.Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.

We use the present simple tense to talk about something that is true in the present in general:

He lives in London.

something that happens again and again in the present:

I play football every weekend.

Explanation

Demonstration Operation (???)

We use the present continuous tense to talk about something that is happening at the moment of speaking:

I’m just leaving work. I’ll be home in an hour.Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.

We use the present simple tense to talk about something that is in the present in general:

I’m nineteen years old.He lives in London.

and something that happens again and again in the present:

I play football every weekend.

Advantages of recognition

1 The rules are simple and teachable2 Learning and applying simple rules provides motivation3 It can provide a good description of some

aspects of grammar

Problems with recognition

1 It cannot provide full coverage of grammar

2 It often involves gross oversimplification

3 For much of the grammar the rules, particularly the contrasts, do not work

4 There is no link to operation – to spontaneous use

1. for something that is happening at the moment of speaking

2. for something which is happening before and after a given time:

At eight o’clock we are usually having breakfast.

When I get home the children are doing their homework.

3. for something which we think is temporary:

Michael is at university. He’s studying history.

I’m working in London for the next two weeks.

4 for something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:

These days most people are using email instead of writing letters.What sort of music are teenagers listening to nowadays?

5 to show that something is changing, growing or developing:

The climate is changing rapidly.Your English is improving.

The interrupted past:

While he was reading the newspaper …

The interrupted present:

At eight o’clock we are usually having breakfast

The interrupted future:

When I get home the children will be doing their homework.

The interrupted …

At eight o’clock they might have been waiting for a call.

We use continuous aspect:

• for something which is happening before and after a given time – past, present, future...

• for something which we think is temporary.

• for something new contrasting with a previous state.

• to talk about something changing, growing or developing.

• to talk about something continuing for some time

Individual

VERB forms aspect

talking about the

present/past/future

A framework for recycling:

from recognition to system building

Recognition System building

PREPOSITION meanings verb patterns

Recognition System building

FOR:a How long: time and distance:

We waited for an hour

They walked for half a mile

b Reason.

What for? … for example.

c Who wants or needs?

Can you do it for me?

Verb patterns with for

How long:

a Time: live, last, survive, Distance: extend ; stretch

b Reason: ask; argue; look; hunt; search; shop; wait; plan; arrange; prepare; train; compensate; apologise; volunteer; sign on; show up.

c Who wants/needs: work; act; fight; speak; deputise; substitute; stand in; speak; pray; speak up; care; feel; grieve.

Advantages of system-building

1 It recognises grammar as a system of choices…

2 … and that choices are determined by meaning

3 It enables us to make powerful generalisations

4 It provides a framework for recycling

5 It encourages learners to look for systems in language and continue learning independently

Problems with system building

1 It cannot explain why people make their choices

2 Some systems defy explanation because they are too subtle and complex

3 No link to operation – students still don’t seem to use it

Recognition

System building

Exploration

(Consciousness – raising)

Task-based lesson

‘Talking about holiday plans’

Task cycle:Task, planning, report

Focus on form:Exploration of language in a familiar

text or transcript of a recording

Consciousness-raising

B: Janet, I hear you’re planning a trip to Africa.J: Yes it’s very exciting. Going in September to see my son who’s doing volunteer work in Zambia. So I’m going to fly to Lusaka and he’ll meet me there and we’ll do a bit of travelling round. I think we’re going to be staying most of the time in Monze, where he’s working. It’s about a hundred miles south of Lusaka. But we’re planning all sorts of exciting things. We’re going to go on safari…B: How long are you actually going for? J: Oh, six weeks. Quite a long time so we can do quite a lot. I think we’re going to one of the big game parks – Luangwa – a game park – for a few days.

FUTURE

• Janet, I hear you’re planning a trip to Africa.• Going in September to see my son who’s doing

volunteer work in Zambia. • So I’m going to fly to Lusaka• he’ll meet me there and we’ll do a bit of

travelling round. • I think we’re going to be staying most of the

time in Monze, • But we’re planning all sorts of exciting things.

We’re going to go on safari…• How long are you actually going for? • Quite a long time so we can do quite a lot. • I think we’re going to one of the big game

parks.

B: Janet, I hear ***’** ******** a trip to Africa.J: Yes it’s very exciting. ***** in September to see my son who’s doing volunteer work in Zambia. So I’* ***** ** *** to Lusaka and he’** **** me there and we’** ** a bit of travelling round. I think we’** ***** ** ** ******* most of the time in Monze, where he’s working. It’s about a hundred miles south of Lusaka. But we’re planning all sorts of exciting things. We’** ***** ** ** on safari…B: How long *** you actually ***** for? J: Oh, six weeks. Quite a long time so we *** ** quite a lot. I think we’** *****to one of the big game parks – Luangwa – a game park – for a few days.

Verbs with for can be divided into groups:

A. Supporting or helping someone or something: stick up for, fight for, work for.

B. Trying to find something or get something: look for, listen for, send (away) for, try for

What group do you think these phrases belong to?

1.We are collecting for the National Soc. for the Blind.2.Jack has applied for a job with the BBC.3. I’m going to vote for Peter Jackson.4.She’s hoping for a job in television. 5.Look out for Michelle when you’re at school.6.The church should speak for the poor.

Why do we need to encourage exploration?

• It provides insights into why choices are made

• It encourages learners to work for themselves on systems that defy explanation

• It encourages learners to work with open ended systems (e.g. verbs followed by for)

• It provides a link with operation

1 There is no direct and predictable relationship between teaching and learning.

2 Some aspects of language seem to be known and not known at the same time. (Learning and acquisition).

3 Instruction does seem to make learning more efficient.

4 Learners also pick up language they have not been taught.

5 Learners create language to meet their needs.

The most powerful resource for learning is the natural capacity of the learner to solve problems and create language:

4 Learners pick up language they have not been taught. (Different learners will pick up different things.)

5 Learners create language to meet their needs. (Learners’ needs may be different too.)

And we need to give them space and encouragement to do this, so...

We should help learners with the simple things (recognition) and introduce them to more complex grammar (system building) …

… as a means to help them to explore the language and discover for themselves the real complexities of grammar as a meaning system.

And we as teachers should continue to explore beyond the grammar that is presented in our text books and look for broader generalisations...

Dave Willis 2003 Rules, Patterns and Words: Grammar and Lexis in English Language Teaching Cambridge Language Teaching Library

Dave Willis 2015 Winning the Grammar Wars:What grammar really is and how we use it Kindle eBook

Dave Willis and Jane Willis 2007 Doing Task-based Teaching Oxford University Press

www.willis-elt.co.uk

Dave Willis 2003 Rules, Patterns and Words: Grammar and Lexis in English Language Teaching Cambridge Language Teaching Library

Dave Willis 2015 Winning the Grammar Wars:What grammar really is and how we use itKindle eBook

Dave Willis and Jane Willis 2007 Doing Task-based Teaching Oxford University Press

www.willis-elt.co.uk