Helping learners master articles (original) (raw)

English Teaching: Practice & Critique Article information

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Teaching English articles: Addressing university students’ misconceptions

학습자중심교과교육연구 Journal of Learner-Centered Curriculum and Instruction , 2021

This paper reports on a pilot study of Korean college EFL learners and their learning of definite and indefinite articles, and specifically, the difficulties that students perceive and realize after the unit. To better understand their perceptions and difficulties with articles at the college level, a brief unit on articles was taught to three first-year college English classes. The unit emphasized more relatable semantic categories and patterns, rather than a traditional rule-based or overtly grammatical approach to articles. A brief survey was then administered to the students. The results of the survey showed that students were aware of general difficulties discussed in the unit, and some came to realize gaps in their understanding and misconceptions they had about article patterns. Such misconceptions were due to the complexity of the article system, and to how they were previously taught. These results can help inform other EFL teachers in teaching articles to Korean students, and in understanding their specific difficulties and potential areas of confusion. «

Article Pedagogy: Encouraging Links between Linguistic Theory and Teaching Practice

RELC Journal, 2017

It is two decades since Master (1997) published a framework for L2 article pedagogy, based on several years of research into the acquisition of the English article system. Among his recommendations were a focus on intermediate level learners and a simplification of the rules presented to language learners. Since then, substantial work has been conducted to better understand the underlying reasons why English articles are difficult to acquire by learners with diverse language backgrounds (

Teaching the English Article System

1986

An effective, systematic approach to teaching English articles in English as a second language instruction is described, with specific exercises using the approach presented. Background information on count and non-count nouns and determiners in English is outlined. Four principles underlying the choice of definite or indefinite articles in English are discussed: (1) first and second mention: simple; (2) first and second mention: complex; (3) unique, one of a kind mentions; and (4) modifiers before and after the noun. Appendices include 18 exercises involving cloze procedures, rewriting, and explanations illustrating the application of the four principles. (CB)

Teaching English for Academic Purposes: Delta M3 The Extended Assignment

2020

This extended assignment for my Cambridge Delta Module 3 is devoted to teaching EAP in high school contexts. The paper proposes a course of academic writing targeted at Year 2 learners following the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) in Moscow, Russia. The grade awarded by Cambridge: Pass with Merit. The full text of the assignment and all the appendices are published here. "DELTA Module Three aims to develop candidates’ knowledge of, and competence in, course planning and assessment in relation to a specialist area, and includes: research into a specialist area; approaches to needs analysis; curriculum and syllabus design principles and different types of syllabus; course design and evaluation; and assessment of learners."

The Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes

2017

The article system of English is very difficult for L2 learners to understand and even for teachers to explain it, especially if there are no such elements in their L1. Teaching the articles of English seems to be a rather complicated procedure. Some theories indicate that article pedagogy should focus on learning rules and exceptions. On the other hand, other theorists believe that article pedagogy should concentrate on applying a communicative approach in the classroom. Both methods are well-founded and useful in the L2 acquisition of articles. The main aim of this paper is to introduce a variety of options for analysing article pedagogy and usage found in the literature. Based on Master’s (1986) pedagogical sequence for teaching articles and Pica’s (1983) recommendations for instruction, this paper will reveal common article errors in L2 students’ translation and discuss how systematic instruction can strengthen accelerated learning of the article system. Students should also be ...

Acquiring Articles in English: A Study of Young ESL Learners

We proudly present a whiff of freshness through our section of poems. Also are included a gamut of articles in all the three major areas. A myriad of perspectives, concepts and research presented through the intellectual mindsets of our contributors makes a very interesting reading.

Cambridge Delta LSA 3 Systems Essay: Writing

I wrote this paper for the Cambridge Delta Module 2 in February 2010. This paper discusses the basics of the product and process approaches to writing and gives some suggestions for teaching writing to EFL/ESL students studying in an academic context. In theory, the discussion in this paper could even be applied to native speakers of English who lack strong writing skills, which are needed for college/university level studies. Comments, critiques, and questions are welcomed.

Cambridge Delta Module 3 Assignment: EAP: Teaching Academic Writing

This paper was written to fulfill the requirements of Module 3 for the Cambridge Delta. The topic of the paper is EAP (English for Academic Purposes) and involves teaching academic writing. This assignment touches on what academic writing involves, includes a brief needs analysis conducted on learners, and a suggested academic course of study for a group of students whose needs include learning to write academic papers for the undergraduate/postgraduate levels of study. This was especially important for me as it evidences my first attempt at creating a course for a group of learners. Please see the the other paper entitled "Appendices for Module 3 Assignment" for further details on the actual layout of the course, and the materials suggested for use.