Describing and Explaining Grammar and Vocabulary in ELT: Key Theories and Effective Practices

271 Pages·2013·5.796 MB·English

by  Dilin Liu

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DESCRIBING AND EXPLAINING
GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY

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si Language description plays an important role in language learning/teaching
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ve because it often determines what specific language forms, features, and usages
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n are taught and how. A good understanding of language description is vital for
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l language teachers and material writers and should constitute an important part
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n of their knowledge. This book provides a balanced treatment of both theory and
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i practice. It focuses on some of the most important and challenging grammar
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n and vocabulary usage questions. Using these questions as examples, it shows how
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te theory can inform practice and how grammar and vocabulary description and
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I explanation can be made more effective and engaging.
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d Part I describes and evaluates the key linguistic theories on language descrip-
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o tion and teaching. Chapters in this section conclude with questions for con-
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sideration and discussion. Part II discusses and gives specific examples of how
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y challenging grammar and vocabulary issues can be more effectively described
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d and explained; each chapter focuses on one or more specific grammar and
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d vocabulary issue. These chapters conclude with suggested teaching activities. The
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o book also contains an annotated list of useful free online resources (online cor-
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o of important terms in language description and teaching.
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Dilin Liu is Professor of Applied Linguistics/TESOL, Department of English,
The University of Alabama, USA.
ESL & Applied Linguistics Professional Series
Eli Hinkel, Series Editor
Birch E nglish Grammar Pedagogy: Global Perspectives
Liu D escribing and Explaining Grammar and Vocabulary in ELT: Key Theories and Effective Practices
deOliviera/Silva, Eds. L 2 Writing in Secondary Classrooms: Student Experiences, Academic Issues, and Teacher Education
Andrade/Evans P rinciples and Practices for Response in Second Language Writing: Developing Self-Regulated Learners
Sayer A mbiguities and Tensions in English Language Teaching: Portraits of EFL Teachers as Legitimate
7 Speakers
1 Alsagoff/McKay/ Principles and Practices of Teaching English as an International Language
0
2 Hu/Renandya, Eds.
h Kumaravadivelu L anguage Teacher Education for A Global Society: A Modular Model for Knowing, Analyzing,
c Recognizing, Doing, and Seeing
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a Vandergrift /Goh T eaching and Learning Second Language Listening: Metacognition in Action
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LoCastro P ragmatics for Language Educators: A Sociolinguistic Perspective
6 Nelson I ntelligibility in World Englishes: Theory and Practice
1
7 Nation/Macalister, Eds. C ase Studies in Language Curriculum Design : Concepts and Approaches in Action Around the World
4 Johnson/Golumbek, Eds. R esearch on Second Language Teacher Education: A Sociocultural Perspective on Professional
3: Development
0 Hinkel, Ed. H andbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning, Volume II
at Nassaji /Fotos T eaching Grammar in Second Language Classrooms: Integrating Form-Focused Instruction in
] Communicative Context
y Murray/Christison W hat English Language Teachers Need to Know Volume I: Understanding Learning
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si Murray/Christison W hat English Language Teachers Need to Know Volume II: Facilitating Learning
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e Wong/Waring C onversation Analysis and Second Language Pedagogy: A Guide for ESL/EFL Teachers
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i Nunan/Choi, Eds. L anguage and Culture: Reflective Narratives and the Emergence of Identity
n Braine N onnative Speaker English Teachers: Research, Pedagogy, and Professional Growth
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l Burns D oing Action Research in English Language Teaching: A Guide for Practitioners
a Nation/Macalister L anguage Curriculum Design
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o Birch T he English Language Teacher and Global Civil Society
ti Johnson S econd Language Teacher Education: A Sociocultural Perspective
na Nation T eaching ESL/EFL Reading and Writing
r Nation/Newton T eaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking
e
t Kachru/Smith C ultures, Contexts, and World Englishes
n
I McKay/Bokhosrt-Heng I nternational English in its Sociolinguistic Contexts: Towards a Socially Sensitive EIL Pedagogy
a Christison/Murray, Eds. L eadership in English Language Education: Theoretical Foundations and Practical Skills for Changing
d
i Times
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o McCafferty/Stam, Eds. G esture: Second Language Acquisition and Classroom Research
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F Liu I dioms: Description, Comprehension, Acquisition, and Pedagogy
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y Chapelle/Enright/Jamison, Eds. B uilding a Validity Argument for the Test of English as a Foreign Language ™
b Kondo-Brown/Brown, Eds. T eaching Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Heritage Language Students Curriculum Needs, Materials, and
d Assessments
e Youmans C hicano-Anglo Conversations: Truth, Honesty, and Politeness
d
a Birch E nglish L2 Reading: Getting to the Bottom, Second Edition
o
l Luk/Lin C lassroom Interactions as Cross-cultural Encounters: Native Speakers in EFL Lessons
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w Levy/Stockwell C ALL Dimensions: Issues and Options in Computer Assisted Language Learning
o Nero , Ed. D ialects, Englishes, Creoles, and Education
D Basturkmen I deas and Options in English for Specific Purposes
Kumaravadivelu U nderstanding Language Teaching: From Method to Postmethod
McKay R esearching Second Language Classrooms
Egbert/Petrie, Eds. C ALL Research Perspectives
Canagarajah, Ed. R eclaiming the Local in Language Policy and Practice
Adamson L anguage Minority Students in American Schools: An Education in English
Fotos/Browne, Eds. N ew Perspectives on CALL for Second Language Classrooms
Hinkel T eaching Academic ESL Writing: Practical Techniques in Vocabulary and Grammar
Hinkel/Fotos, Eds. N ew Perspectives on Grammar Teaching in Second Language Classrooms
Hinkel S econd Language Writers’ Text: Linguistic and Rhetorical Features
Visit www.routledge.com/education for additional information on titles in the ESL & Applied Linguistics Professional Series
DESCRIBING AND
EXPLAINING
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VOCABULARY IN ELT
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t Key Theories and Effective Practices
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i Dilin Liu
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a First published 2014
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by Routledge
6 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
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4 Simultaneously published in the UK
3: by Routledge
0 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
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] Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
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si © 2014 Taylor & Francis
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v The right of Dilin Liu to be identifi ed as author of this work has been asserted by him/her in
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n accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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al All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form
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o or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
i photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission
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na in writing from the publishers.
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t Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are
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I used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe.
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i Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
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F Liu, Dilin.
y [ Describing and explaining grammar and vocabulary in ELT: key theories and eff ective practices/
b By Dilin Liu.
d pages cm.—(ESL & Applied Linguistics Professional Series)
e Includes bibliographical references and index.
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a ISBN 978-0-415-63608-7—ISBN 978-0-415-63609-4—ISBN 978-0-203-08560-8
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l 1. English language—Study and teaching—Foreign speakers. 2. English language—Grammar—
n Study and teaching. 3. Vocabulary—Study and teaching. I. Title.
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D PE1128.A2L5334 2013
428.0071—dc23
2013004263
ISBN: 978-0-415-63608-7(hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-63609-4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-203-08560-8 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo Std
by MPS Limited, Chennai, India
www.adi-mps.com
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CONTENTS
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6 List of Figures xiii
1 List of Tables xv
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4 Preface xvii
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3 Acknowledgments xxi
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e 1.2 The purview of language description 2
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1.4 Principles for language description 8
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a Questions for consideration and/or discussion 1 1
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nt Foundations: Key Theories and Approaches to
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a Language Description 13
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l 2 P rescriptive, Structural, and Generative Linguistics 1 5
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y [ 2.1 Prescriptivism 1 5
b 2.1.1 Overview 1 5
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e 2.1.2 Influence of prescriptivism on language teaching 1 7
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a 2.2 Structuralism 1 9
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D 2.3 Generativism 2 3
2.3.1 Overview 2 3
2.3.2 Influence of generativism on language teaching 2 6
Questions for consideration and/or discussion 3 0
3 S ociolinguistics and Systemic Functional Linguistics 3 3
3.1 Sociolinguistics: an overview of communicative competence and
speech act theory 3 3
viii Contents
3.1.1 Communicative competence 3 4
3.1.2 Speech act theory 3 4
3.1.3 Pragmatics across languages 3 6
3.2 Systemic functional linguistics: an overview 3 8
3.2.1 Language as a system of choice 3 8
3.2.2 Semantic functions of language 3 9
3.2.3 Register 4 0
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1 3.3 The impacts of sociolinguistics and SFL on language teaching 4 1
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2 3.3.1 From form-focused to meaning/communication-oriented
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3.3.3 Discourse analysis and discourse grammar 4 6
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1 3.3.4 Register and semantic function analysis 4 7
7 Questions for consideration and/or discussion 4 8
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s 4.1.1 Language is symbolic and conceptual in nature 5 1
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v 4.1.2 Meaning is fundamental to language 5 3
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n 4.1.3 Language is composed of symbolic units/constructions 5 5
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i 4.2.1 Cognitive grammar and construction Grammar 6 1
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n 4.2.2 Focusing on construal and conceptual motivation 6 3
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da 4.2.4 Description of constraints on the generalizability of
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a 5.1 Overview 6 9
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5.2 Significant contributions of corpus linguistics to the study
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5.3 Impact of corpus linguistics on language teaching 7 7
5.3.1 Corpus use in the classroom 7 8
5.3.2 Using corpora for curriculum design and material
development 8 1
Questions for consideration and/or discussion 8 2
Contents ix
PART II
Putting Theory to Practice: Striving for Enhanced
Language Description and Explanation 85
6 V ocabulary Description 87
6.1 What information should be covered in teaching a word? 8 7
7 6.2 Describing/teaching spelling, pronunciation, and morphological
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c 6.3.1 The concept of parts of speech and categories involved 9 0
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6 6.3.3 Structure (sentence position)-based definition method 9 1
1 6.3.4 Conceptualization/construal-based definition method 9 2
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4 6.3.5 Using an eclectic method suited to learners’ proficiency
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it 6.5.1 Adverb or noun: the case of home in go home and more 9 5
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a 7.2 Established practices for describing/analyzing
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d 7.3 Explaining/teaching challenging issues with new insights 1 11
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sentence structures 1 14
Suggested teaching activities 1 15
8 T ense and Aspect 119
8.1 English tense and aspect system: an overview 1 19
8.2 Established useful practices for describing/teaching
tenses/aspects 1 22