LIN 5741-0389 Applied English Grammar Spring 2008

Welcome to Applied English Grammar, a survey of English grammar based on principles of second language acquisition and social interaction with implications for teachers who want to know how to incorporate grammar instruction into their communication-based English language classes. This course is similar to LIN 3680 Modern English Structure. If you have had that course, I suggest that you do not enroll in this one.

Suggested Prerequisite: Introduction to Linguistics

Orientation:  Our three hour blocks will be divided into two halves with a 15 minute break. In the first half we will have our grammar quizzes, share our findings from the grammar detective exercises, participate in grammar icebreakers, and discuss issues of interest for the teaching of grammar. In the second half we will work with the new grammar focus of the block and get started on a grammar detective exercise so we can verify how grammar works in our lives.

Textbooks: Thompson Interaction and English Grammar  (on line)
Celce-Murcia/Hilles  Techniques and Resources in Teaching Grammar.
Canagarajah Resisting Linguistic Imperialism in English Teaching

Grading: Grades will be based on the following criteria:

70 points	Participation and class preparation: 5 points per block (14 blocks)*
150 points	6 twenty-five point grammar quizzes (every other week starting block 3) *
10 points	An icebreaker reinforcing an assigned point of grammar*
60 points	12 grammar detective exercises (5 points each)*
10 points	Discussion leader in last two weeks*
20 points BONUS	Have a proposal accepted for the Sunshine State TESOL annual convention, 7-10 May 2008 Daytona Beach Hilton*

The points are totaled and divided by 300.
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. If you are not here, you can not take part in the fun and exciting (I hope) teaching activities that are designed to convert you to a new way of teaching grammar. There are no excused absenses.  
• 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?
  
• Icebreakers are short 10 minute activities that help students practice some aspect of a grammar rule. I will give a sample icebreaker the second block. You will select the grammar rule for your icebreaker at the end of our second meeting. Your icebreaker should be action filled, making use of multiple senses that use the techniques and resources suggested in Celce-Murcia/Hines. 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 icebreaker.). Grading: 10 points, exciting, well thought out, well focused, involved the class, nice handout, stayed in the time limit, demonstrated well a resource and a technique suggested in Celce-Murcia/Hilles; 7 points, one of those elements missing; 5 points, two elements missing; 3 points, well, you tried; 0 points, you did not try. 
  
•  In grammar detective exercises you will look at how a grammar point we discuss in class is being used around you in the spoken and the written language. You will receive specific instructions at the end of each block as to how to proceed. If when I check your work, it looks like you followed instructions, you get 5 points. If something is missing, 3 points. Didn't try, 0 points. Late assignments will not be accepted.
• As a discussion leader during the last two weeks, you and a partner will lead a 30 minute discussion of a controversial topic concerning the imperialism of English language teaching. Grading: 10 points, well thought out, well focused, involved the class in a stimulating discussion, well prepared, good stage presense, in the time limit; 7 points, one of those elements missing; 5 points, two elements missing; 3 points, well, you tried; 0 points, you did not try.
  
• BONUS: Participate in Sunshine State TESOL. This year Sunshine State TESOL is holding its 31st Annual Convention at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort. You can receive 20 point by submitting an proposal for a presentation and having it accepted. See the SSTESOL website for more details.

.	.	PART A. Figuring out how English works
Block 1	Jan 9 Wed	Period 1: Introduction to language acquisition Period 2: Interaction and Grammar (Thompson Foreword, 1) Grammar focus: tag questions
Block 2.	Jan 16 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 1, sign up for grammar icebreakers Period 2: Hearing grammar (Thompson 2) Grammar focus: grammatical and focus stress, parts of speech, and phrases
Block 3	Jan 23 Wed .	Period 1: Grammar detective 2, Quiz 1 Period 2: Developing vocabulary (Thompson 3) Grammar focus: word formation, phrasal verbs
Block 4	Jan 30 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 3 Period 2: Setting Standards (Thompson 4) Grammar focus: verbs and verb agreement
.	.	Part B. Being sociable
Block 5	Feb 6 Wed .	Period 1: Grammar detective 4, Quiz 2  Period 2: Indicating when it happened (Thompson 5) Grammar focus: tense and aspect
Block 6	Feb 13 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 5 Period 2: Getting information (Thompson 6) Grammar focus: questions
Block 7	Feb 20 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 6, Quiz 3 Period 2: Politely getting things done (Thompson 7) Grammar focus: modals and imperatives
Block 8	Feb 27 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 7 Period 2: Saying no without offending (Thompson 8) Grammar focus: negation
.	.	Part C. Learning academic English
Block  9	Mar 5 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 8, Quiz 4 Period 2: Talking about things (Thompson 9) Grammar focus: nouns and determiners
	Mar 12 Wed	Spring Break
Block 10	Mar19 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 9 Period 2:  Creating images in the mind  (Thompson 10 Grammar focus: adjectives and adverbs
Block 11	Mar 26 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 10, Quiz 5 Period 2: Sounding educated (Thompson 11)  Grammar focus: subordinate and relative clauses
Block 12	April 2 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 11 Period 2: Improving your style (Thompson 12) Grammar focus: passives and other focus structures
Block 13	April 9 Wed	Period 1: Grammar detective 12 Quiz 6 Period 2: Reflecting on interaction and English grammar
		Part D. Imperialism and English teaching
Block 14	April 16 Wed	Topic1: Adopting a critical perspective on pedagogy Topic 2: Challenges in researching resistance Topic 3: Resistance to English in historical perspective Topic 4: Conflicting curricula: interrogating student opposition
Block 15	April 23 Wed	Topic 5: Competing pedagogies: understanding teacher opposition Topic 6. Clashing codes: negotiating classroom interaction Topic 7:  Contrasting literacies: appropriating academic texts Topic 8: The politics and pedagogy of appropriating discourses