LIN 3680 - 0581 Modern English Structure Summer A 2008

Textbook:  First and Killian. 2002. The ELT Grammar Book: A Teacher-Friendly Reference Guide (Only at Goerings Books)

Orientation: Welcome to Modern English Structure, a survey of English grammar based on principles of descriptive rather than prescriptive grammar. Our focus is on preparing you to help English language learners understand how the English language works. Everyday we will look at a different point of grammar and how it can be taught in fun ways. Some of these fun ways you and a partner will create and demonstrate to the class. There will be an exam every Friday and beginning the second week, your participation points will include frequent quizzes at the beginning of class to check on  your reading and class preparation.

Grading: Grades will be based on the following criteria:

60 points	Participation and preparation (3 pts x 20 times)*
150 points	6 twenty-five point grammar quizzes (every Friday) *
20 points	A grammar activity reinforcing an assigned point of grammar*
20 points	Conversation partner *

The points are totaled and divided by 250.
Grades follow this breakdown: 90-100 A, 87-89 B+, 80-86 B, 77-79 C+, 70-76 C, 67-69 D+, 60-66 D.

• Participation and preparation. If you are not here, you can not take part in the activities. There are no excused absenses.  Preparation points start the first Thursday and are given Monday through Thursday. Two of the daily preparation points come from a two-point reading quiz based on the assigned chapter for the day. If you are late to class, you'll miss the quiz and lose your points for the day.
  
• Grammar quizzes are a combination short answer, identification, and "explain the broken rule." e.g. *Never I have had such a great time.--what rule was broken?
  
• Grammar activities are short 10 minute activities that help English language learners practice some aspect of a grammar rule. There are sample activities in each chapter. You and a partner will select your grammar topic during the first week of class. Within that topic you will choose a grammar rule that you want us to practice in a fun way. The teaching ideas in the text should spur your imagination. Your activity should be action filled, well focused, making use of multiple senses. You will give your classmates a handout with step by step instructions (language level, aims, materials needed, procedure, alternatives--in a format similar to the one in my sample activity the first week.). Grading: 5 points: timing, 5 points: creatively involving the class in a focused manner; 5 points: well thought out, well presented; 5 points: materials used, including handout.
  
• Conversation partner.  Go to  the English Language Institute at 315 Norman Hall and sign up to be a conversation partner with a non-native speaker of English. To get the 20 points you will need to meet with your assigned student at least 5 different times (5 hour minimum). For each meeting keep a log recording who you met with, when and where you met and how long, what you did, and discussing something you noticed about their English grammar in relationship to the topics we talk about in class. On the last day of class, hand in your report log with a 2 page summary of grammatical insights the experience gave you. Have your conversation partner sign your log. Grading: 5 points: when met, how long, five times; 10 points: five logs including what done and grammar observation; 5 points: two page summary of grammar insights as related to class topics.

.	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Week 1 May 12-16	Introduction	1. Word order	2. Articles	3. Presents	Review and Quiz 1
Week 2 May 19-23	4. Pasts	5. Futures	6. Adjectives	7. Some/any	Review and Quiz 2
Week 3 May 26-30	NO CLASS	8. Modals	9. Prepositions	10. Genitives	Review and Quiz 3
Week 4 June 2-6	11. Compounds	12. More modals	13. Passives	14. Direct object  complements	Review and Quiz 4
Week 5 June 9-13	15. Autosegmentals I	16. Indirect speech	17. two and three word verbs	18. Autosegmentals II	Review and Quiz 5
Week 6 June 16-20	19. Subjunctive 20. Conditionals	21. Waifs	22. Future and Review	Quiz 6 Conv. Part. due	NO CLASS