IV Developing Competence—In-Class Discussion

1 Learn standard English pronunciation

Time to Discuss!

Get into groups and discuss the following questions.

• How important are imitation skills in the cognitive and social development of a human being?

• How important are imitation skills in learning the pronunciation of a foreign language?

• Do you make good use of your imitation skills when you learn English pronunciation?

• What materials do you plan to model on?

2 Pronunciation and spelling

Time to Discuss!

Get into groups and discuss the following questions.

• How do you memorize the spelling of a word?

• Why is linking the spelling of a word with its pronunciation important?

Time for “Spelling Bee” Task!

Step 1: Look up “spelling bee” on Wikipedia.

Step 2: Share in small groups what “spelling bee” is.

Step 3: Hold a “spelling bee” contest in class.

3 Learn lexical chunks

Have a Go!

Take out your textbook for the course of Comprehensive English, refer to the text of Unit One, and complete the following steps.

• Note down the lexical chunks in the first 3 paragraphs.

• Compare your list of lexical chunks with other group members.

• Discuss what different forms a lexical chunk can consist of.

4 Vocabulary cramming vs. vocabulary through extensive reading

Time to Think!

Take a minute to reflect on the way you accumulate vocabulary.

Do you keep a note of the new words in your reading and memorize them, or do you read a vocabulary book and memorize a few pages of new words each day until you finish the book?

Time to Discuss!

Work in small groups and discuss the following questions.

• Which way have you tried or have you tried both?

• How useful is each way: vocabulary cramming or vocabulary through extensive reading?

5 Develop language fluency and accuracy

Have a Go!

Try memorizing the following passage in 2 minutes and then pair up and take turns to recite it to each other.

Being young means wondering what is worth working for. Being young means feeling happy with yourself one day and wishing you were never born the next. It means trying on new selves by taking up with different crowds. It means resenting your parents and their way of life one minute and then feeling you will never be as good or as accomplished as they are. (Siskin, 2011: 25)

Time to Reflect!

How have you performed? Very well, mediocre, or poorly?

Have a Go!

Let’s chunk the passage and try memorizing the passage again in 2 minutes. Pair up and take turns to recite it to each other.

Being young means / wondering what is worth working for. / Being young means / feeling happy with yourself one day / and wishing you were never born the next. / It means / trying on new selves / by taking up with different crowds. / It means / resenting your parents and their way of life one minute / and then feeling you will never be / as good or as accomplished as they are.

Time to Share!

• How have you performed? Are you doing any better?

• What benefits are there if you recite a passage by chunking it?