Научная статья на тему 'Teaching vocabulary in mixed-ability classes'

Teaching vocabulary in mixed-ability classes Текст научной статьи по специальности «Языкознание и литературоведение»

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Ключевые слова
КЛАССЫ СМЕШАННОЙ СПОСОБНОСТИ / MIXED-ABILITY CLASSES / СОТРУДНИЧЕСТВО / COLLABORATION / VOCABULARY WALL / ДИКТОГЛОСС / DICTOGLOSS / ПАРНАЯ РАБОТА / PAIR WORK / INDIVIDUALIZED VOCABULARY WORK / СЛОВАРНЫЙ ЗАПАС / ИНДИВИДУАЛЬНАЯ ЛЕКСИКА

Аннотация научной статьи по языкознанию и литературоведению, автор научной работы — Sulaymonova Dilafruz Akmalovna

His article discusses the teaching vocabulary in groups of different abilities. The specific advantages and challenges of working in such groups are listed for a number of factors. Many interactive methods of teaching vocabulary, which should pay attention to work with mixed ability classes, are illustrated by examples. There are also enough tips for teachers who work with such groups to avoid a variety of problems. Besides that, the work of scientists involved in this issue was considered and the most useful ways of teaching the vocabulary were used.

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ОБУЧЕНИЕ СЛОВАРЮ В КЛАССАХ СО СМЕШАННЫМИ СПОСОБНОСТЯМИ

В этой статье обсуждается лексика обучения в группах разных способностей. Конкретные преимущества и проблемы работы в таких группах перечислены по ряду факторов. На примерах показано множество интерактивных методов преподавания лексики, которые должны обратить внимание на работу со смешанными классами. Также есть достаточные советы для учителей, которые работают с такими группами, чтобы избежать множества проблем. Кроме того, была рассмотрена работа ученых, участвующих в этом вопросе, и были использованы наиболее полезные способы обучения лексике.

Текст научной работы на тему «Teaching vocabulary in mixed-ability classes»

References / Список литературы

1. Langacker R. W. Nouns and verbs // Language. 1987. № 63.

2. Münch R. Aneignung des fremdsprachlichen Wortschatzes in der Schule // Die lebenden Fremdsprachen. 1950. H. 11.

3. ДаниленкоВ.П. Дисциплинарная структура грамматики // Филологические науки. 1992. № 3.

4. Даниленко В.П. Еще о грамматическом статусе лексикологии // Филологические науки. 2005. № 5.

5. Бодуэн де Куртене И.А. Языкознание, или лингвистика XIX века // Хрестоматия по истории русского языкознания / сост. Ф.М. Березин. М., 1973. Соссюр Ф. Курс общей лингвистики // Соссюр Ф. Труды по языкознанию. М., 1977.

6. ВиноградовВ.В. Русский язык. Грамматическое учение о слове. М., 1972.

7. Dixon R.M. W. Basic linguistic theory. Vol. 1. Methodology. Oxford, 2010; Dixon R.M.W. Basic linguistic theory. Vol. 2. Grammatical topics. Oxford, 2010.

8. Плунгян В.А. Грамматические категории, их аналоги и заместители: дис. ... д-ра филол. наук. М., 1998.

TEACHING VOCABULARY IN MIXED-ABILITY CLASSES Sulaymonova D.A. Email: [email protected]

Sulaymonova Dilafruz Akmalovna - Teacher, DEPARTMENT OF METHODS OF TEACHING ENGLISH, UZBEK STATE UNIVERSITY OF WORLD LANGUAGES, TASHKENT, REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

Abstract: this article discusses the teaching vocabulary in groups of different abilities. The specific advantages and challenges of working in such groups are listed for a number of factors. Many interactive methods of teaching vocabulary, which should pay attention to work with mixed ability classes, are illustrated by examples. There are also enough tips for teachers who work with such groups to avoid a variety of problems. Besides that, the work of scientists involved in this issue was considered and the most useful ways of teaching the vocabulary were used.

Keywords: mixed-ability classes, collaboration, vocabulary wall, dictogloss, pair work, individualized vocabulary work.

ОБУЧЕНИЕ СЛОВАРЮ В КЛАССАХ СО СМЕШАННЫМИ СПОСОБНОСТЯМИ Сулаймонова Д.А.

Сулаймонова Дилафруз Акмаловна - преподаватель, кафедра методики преподавания английского языка, Узбекский государственный университет мировых языков, г. Ташкент, Республика Узбекистан

Аннотация: в этой статье обсуждается лексика обучения в группах разных способностей. Конкретные преимущества и проблемы работы в таких группах перечислены по ряду факторов. На примерах показано множество интерактивных методов преподавания лексики, которые должны обратить внимание на работу со смешанными классами. Также есть достаточные советы для учителей, которые работают с такими группами, чтобы избежать множества проблем. Кроме того, была рассмотрена работа ученых, участвующих в этом вопросе, и были использованы наиболее полезные способы обучения лексике.

Ключевые слова: классы смешанной способности, сотрудничество, словарный запас, диктоглосс, парная работа, индивидуальная лексика.

УДК 81-133

Mixed ability classrooms are as varied as the students in them. Most often, they include students who communicate in English at a variety of different levels. They may also be considered mixed ability because they include students with different types of learning backgrounds, such as those who have learned orally and those who have learned mainly from a textbook. Students may also have different levels of literacy in their own native language. A classroom that contains some students who are familiar with the target language well and some students who are not may also be considered mixed ability. Finally, the term mixed ability can be used to refer to a group of students working together who range greatly in age. [2]

Advantages and challenges of teaching mixed ability classes

When faced with the challenge of a mixed ability classroom many teachers do not know where to start. They fear that the preparation will take much longer, and that the students will be more demanding. Schools that have multi-level classes often have limited budgets, and teachers may fear that they will not be paid for what they are worth. However, it is only by looking at the advantages of the multi-level classroom and employing strategies to overcome the challenges, that teachers can achieve success [3].

Advantages of mixed ability classrooms

• Students are able to learn at their own pace

• Students learn to work well in a group

• Students become independent learners

• Students develop strong relationships with their peers

• Students become partners in learning

Challenges of mixed ability classrooms

• Finding appropriate teaching resources and material

• Organizing appropriate groupings within the class

• Determining the individual needs of each student

• Ensuring that all students are challenged and interested

Although the problems in large classes can be formidable, they are not insurmountable. There are ways of coping, as well as functional principles and strategies that can turn a struggle into a challenging trial. All teachers of large multi level classes experience such problems. These are tribulations that go along with the job, but they are difficulties that can be out-lived and overcome. Occurrences like those listed below are not uncommon in our work:

Collaboration

Collaboration means working together and cooperating. Collaboration is good teaching in all classes: through collaborative learning, students participate more, they learn how to compromise, they negotiate meaning, and they become better risk-takers and more efficient self-monitors and self-evaluators; classroom atmosphere and efficiency improve as does student self-esteem. However, in large multi level classes collaboration is a must. Everyone in the room is sometimes a student and sometimes a teacher, and students learn to carry a large slice of responsibility. Some of the strategies that help students to collaborate are: • Group work in which students complete a task together. • Pair work in which students share ideas or quiz and drill each other. • Peer review in which students analyse and comment on one another's written work. • Brainstorming in which students contribute ideas on a single topic. • Jigsaw activities in which students each contribute different aspects of knowledge to create a whole. [1]

Vocabulary wall

Use part of the wall in the classroom as the vocabulary wall. Asks students to note/recall any words that are new or unfamiliar to them. Also assign one student to write this words and vocab you put on the whiteboard during lessons onto separate strips of card/paper to stick on the wall. Rotate the scribe so all share the responsibility for writing. Spend some time each lesson reviewing the vocabulary wall -students need to know to pronounce a word, how to spell it and how to use it in a sentence. When all are sure of a word, remove it from the wall.

Dictogloss

Choose a text of suitable level and topic to dictate to the class. Introduce the context and pre-teach ay difficult vocab. Put students into groups of 3 or 4. Tell them they will hear the text twice at normal speaking speed. Tell them they have to write the text in their group. It does not have to be the same as the original but it must have the same meaning and be grammatically correct. They should not try to writhe whole sentences as you dictate but take notes only. Then read the text so that it is clear but at (near) normal speaking speed. Then get all students at the board. Get each group to choose a writer. Give each writer a different colour board pen and show them where on the board to write. Each group reconstructs the text. As they finish they read each others' texts and can correct errors. Finally you as teacher correct each text (depending on level of group you could use a correction code to add challenge). [4]

Individualised vocabulary work

(Could work well with the vocabulary wall) Students keep a list of vocabulary covered during each week plus any vocab they want to focus on from reading, friends, TV, etc outside of the classroom. It is useful to give them a format for recording vocab (of varying complexity depending on level, but may include spelling, phonemic transcription, word stress, definition, translation, word used in a sentence composed by the student). At the end of each week ask each student to give you a list of words they want to focus on (could be as few as

10 or as many of 30, depending on level of class). From their list, make individual lists for each student -select say half (or more) of the words from their list and put them on a slip of paper. Give each student their new, shorter list and use this to test/quiz them individually. For example you could ask them to write the definition and a sentence to show the meaning. To save on marking time, put the students in pairs, give each partner their neighbour's original sheet and get them to mark each others' tests. Any words the student had trouble with can be transferred to the next week's sheet.

The basic solution to avoid creating mixed ability groups is to start with an entrance exam that covers all areas of English; listening, speaking, writing and reading. After checking the results students should be grouped accordingly to their knowledge. The trouble is that people are not necessarily on the same level in all four areas. Sometimes they are fluent in speaking, because they have spent some time in an English speaking country but are very week in expressing themselves in writing. Or they are capable in comprehension to reading texts because they do a lot of reading in English but cannot understand to spoken English at all as they are missing practice. It is then very difficult for the teacher to decide which group/course will be the most suitable for them and it can easily happen that a wrong decision is made. It can lead to the above-mentioned situations then. If the group of students is of very mixed abilities then problems arise quite soon after the beginning of the course. The trouble is that adult students when feeling insecure in their lessons mostly start to reconsider their further attendance.

References / Список литературы

1. Hallam S., & Toutounji, I. (1996). What do we know about the Grouping of Pupils by Ability? London: Institute of Education.

2. Nation I.S.P. 1990. Teaching and Learning Vocabulary. New York: Harper & Row.

3. Tomlinson C. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom: responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria: ASCD.

4. Wajnryb Ruth (1990). Grammar dictation. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-019437004-2.

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