Comments on: Transfer: Engagement Required

by: em

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:13:15 +0100

It’s tough when you’re teaching Business English and the client expects a group to take a 30-hour course and come out of it with perfect grammar! One whole semester to work with it would be heaven in that situation!

At the same time, I work with people of a very high standard who want to reach perfection, but, as you mentioned, they may never get there as adults.

by: james matthew

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 12:12:53 +0100

just a follow-up on this one. I used one of the videos today in my esl support class, and the students enjoyed it and found it helpful.
Very timely, as we are working with past continuous right now!!
Thanks again! It’s great to hear a few chuckles during grammar work time!

by: James Matthew

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 18:47:19 +0100

thanks to the ref on the roadrunner cartoon…I am working with my esl students on present continuous..this would be a great upper for them to view I think…
i agree with you take on active engagement…but remember, your son’s brain is wired differently then yours right now…his is much more active in terms of development and what I think is referred to as neural mapping…
There is some kind of growth process that is going on in his brain that allows him to aquire and assimilate new info. and skills at a much faster rate than we do now.
I am not solid on all the science, but the idea is that the little guy is mapping out his neural net…and his brain is making connections at an amazing speed = faster processor.
Just a few thoughts…
I agree that there is a big divide between the formal grammar and the conversation- there seems to be entrenched speech patterns, perhaps?
cheers

by: Aaron Nelson

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 22:11:29 +0000

Cleve,
Great to see you around here again. I liked your ideas about relaxing a little around our grammar expectations. I would like to explore the neural or brain side of language learning some more - so if you have any links related to that would you mind sharing?

I also strongly agree with you around the “just in time” focus on grammar. I think it makes more sense on an engagement side of things to focus on grammar that is expected or known to be required by students - I think we’d pay more attention when we know we’ll be using it.

Thanks for your comments,
Aaron

by: Cleve

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 05:52:51 +0000

Agree with everything you’ve said.

Still, over the years I’ve come to temper my expectations a bit regarding adults and grammar accuracy. For many adults, being past that “critical period” in childhood, when neural connections form easily, means they just won’t ever get the grammar level they want. Sometimes with students we just accept that, and focus more on areas where we get more (learning) bang for our buck.

Also we try and anticipate grammar needs and prepare in advance: if in a meeting they may be discussing scenarios or strategy options or something, we work on conditionals in the context of role-playing exactly what they will say (which is the engagement-through-relevance you’re talking about!).