This course focuses on analyzing and improving grammar and vocabulary in academic speech. The goals are to identify and think critically about grammatical and lexical patterns in student and expert academic discussions, and to produce grammatical patterns to convey ideas for academic speaking tasks. The class will involve diagnostics like completing verb tense exercises, transcribing and analyzing sample conversations to identify correct and incorrect verbs and words to improve, and partner work practicing improved conversations.

1. Grammar for Interactions
Fall 2015
Nikki Mattson
IECP

2. Agenda
• Course Description
• Diagnostic
• Spoken Grammar analysis

3. What is this course?
Grammar for Interactions 130 is a high-intermediate course in grammatical
and lexical analysis and revision that serves as a supporting course to
Academic Interactions. This course prepares students to comprehend and
revise grammatical and lexical structures in academic talk. With an emphasis on
collaborative review and revision, students comprehend and think critically
about student-generated and expert/authentic speech from Academic
Interactions in order to better understand and produce various grammar
structures and lexical items in context. By the end of the course, students will be
able to:
•1) identify and think critically about the form and functions of lexical and
grammatical patterns in student-generated and expert academic talk at a high-
intermediate level. (Course Goal 1)
•2) produce and manipulate lexical and grammatical patterns in speech at a
high-intermediate level to convey, interpret, and connect ideas and concepts
for academic speaking tasks. (see Learning Outcomes) (Course Goal 2)

4. Diagnostic
(10 minutes)
•1) Complete the verb tense handout.
•2) Listen to the recording. Write down the missing parts of
the conversation that you hear. (I will play it three times)
(15 minutes)
•3) Underline all of the verbs that you see in the
conversation. Label them as √ (correct) or x (incorrect). If
they are incorrect, write the correction above the word.
•5) Circle all of the words that you would change to make
the speech better (more accurate, specific, natural, etc.)
•6) Above the circled words, suggest a better alternative.

5. Partner Work
• Work with a partner to improve the
transcript (vocabulary and grammar)
• Practice the conversation with the
improvements you and your partner made.
• Perform conversation and vote for the
best!

6. HW
• Enjoy your day.

7. HW
• Enjoy your day.