How to Troubleshoot Apps for the Modern Connected Worker
TBL Language Focus
1. Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México
MODULE
Task Based Language
Teaching
The TBL
Framework
language focus
Cinthia Ivette Bautista García
Martha Edith Padilla Sánchez
August, 2013
2. Table of Contents
I. From Meaning to Form.
II. Language Analysis
activities.
III. Starting Points for Analysis
Activities.
IV. Language Practice
Activities.
V. Creating a pedagogic
corpus.
VI. Summary.
3. INTRODUCTION
These are the component of the task cycle. Language focus is the last
phase of TBL framework. It illustrates four starting points for analysis
activities, showing how they can be handled in a learner-centered way.
The main purpose of the analysis activities is to highlight specific
language features which will help students to focus their attention on
forms of the language which they have already processed for meaning.
4. FROM MEANING TO FORM
Emphasizes on students understanding and
expressing meaning.
Give confidence to students to try out new
combinations of words.
LANGUAGE ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES
Called consciousness-raising activities. These activities promote observation through
identification and critical investigation of linguistic features students can increase their
repertoire of useful lexical language.
Setting. Ensure that the focus and purpose of each activity is clear.
Monitoring see how they are getting on help out, but do not do it for them let them think
for themselves keep an eye on weaker learners and
Reviewing analysis activities. The teacher takes the lead again ask students for further
examples give students time to select examples get the class to repeat in chorus once
or twice for pronunciation or intonation problems.
5. STARTING POINTS FOR ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES
The three main starting points for
analysis activities.
(With spoken text also we
consider phonological features)
The general recommendation is to start with an activity that focuses on the words and
phrases expressing meaning related to the main topic checked in the text. Then work on
two or three activities more on the other starting points. They can be done in class or
set for homework.
Meaning: Themes, notions and functions: The topic in a text
is easy to identify by the lexis. This mean that our students can
notice lexical repetition and how this can form cohesive ties in
the text through the theme words and phrases
Words or parts of words. The study of the form and uses of
the very common words,
called “grammatical”, will help
students to consolidate their idea of the grammar of
the target language. So, these activities can involve:
classification according to grammatical function,
exploring collocation, classification according to
meaning and use.
Categories of meaning or use. This activity is ideal to have a revision once students
have met several uses of common words because they can match each example to a
category. Don’t forget to look up words’ basic categories of meaning and use.
Phonology: intonation, stress and sounds. Learners need practice in identifying the
main message-bearing words in the flow of speech. They
should not listening to sentences but to listen for tone units
and stressed words. By doing these kind of exercises they
will get clear that the stressed words are the ones which
carry the important information.
Semantic
concepts
Parts of
word
Categories
of meaning
and use
6. LANGUAGE PRACTICE ACTIVITIES
These activities are a good way to learn lexical phrases. They can be used for consolidation
and revision. These activities are relevant to the process of learning since in an exposure-rich
classroom- common words and phrases and patterns are continually recycled. This allows
students to create their own patterns, which provides confidence and a sense of security.
7. CREATING A PEDAGOGIC CORPUS
The texts students read and listen to form a corpus of language, it is called pedagogic corpus,
since it is common to all students in the class.
It should be a source for examples and future language activities or tests.
The use of the pedagogic corpus in language analysis activities encourages learners to reflect
on the language they have already experienced.
Students turn into “creative learners”
It helps students in the motivation progress as well as language description.
It is important to expose students to a well-balanced pedagogic corpus.
SUMMARY
LANGUAGE FOCUS
ANALYSIS
Students examine and then discuss specific features of the text or transcript of the recording.
They can enter new words, phrases and patterns in vocabulary books.
PRACTICE
Teacher conducts practice of new words, phrases, and patterns occurring in the data, either
during or after the Analysis.
