12/4/08

Linguistic Foundations Expressive (Spoken and Written) Language Structure and Use

Elizabeth Jimnez, CEO GEMAS Consulting and Advocacy

Introduction
Classroom practitioners know that advanced English learners may have difculty with common idiomatic expressions and multi-meaning words that are used in English-language textbooks and class lectures. This topic introduces the pragmatic features of oral and written language that inuence or convey meaning: a) use of formal or informal registers b) idiomatic expressions c) gestures, eye contact, physical proximity Participants explore one of their own student textbooks to identify and to explain the idioms and multiple meaning words Participants learn to diagnose and plan next steps for instruction using an actual English learners writing sample

Terminology to Know
Pragmatics Input, output Receptive Expressive

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Four Domains of Language

Listening (receptive, receiving input) Speaking (expressive, producing output) Reading (receptive, receiving input) Writing (expressive, producing output) DISCUSS: We usually link together: listening and speaking reading and writing How do speaking and writing go together?

The Development of Language in Children

Language in Communicative Context

Language as a Meaning System

Language as a Structured Rule-Governed System

Used with Permission of Dr. Noma LeMoine

Phonology
Phonology is the discrete sounds of a language that make up its sound system Phonology includes the phonemes: discrete sounds that make a difference in meaning. E.g., chip/ship, pero/perro Phonology includes the allophones of a language: variations that dont change the meaning of a word but contribute to regional accent. E.g., dog/dawg, pescar/pe[h]car

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Morphology
Morphology studies the internal structure of words. A morpheme is a meaningful linguistic unit consisting of a word, such as man, or a word element, such as -ed in walked, that cannot be divided into smaller, meaningful parts. EXAMPLES of MORPHEMES
Prexes, individual words, contracted word forms, inections, plural marker /s/ at the end of nouns

Syntax
The rules governing word order in a language give meaning to the words and sentences. This is called syntax. (SIN-tax) EXAMPLES
Good looking vs. looking good My cats mama vs. my mamas cat Please come to school on time. Please on time come to school.

Semantics
Semantics describes the level of meaning of individual words and of word relationships in messages Denotation The father of my kids Connotation The father of my kids EXAMPLE Evening gown vs. night gown Collocations: An expression consisting of two or more words that correspond to some conventional way of saying things. Firth: a word is characterized by the company it keeps Count count up, count down, COUNT on, count ON, count off, count out, count me in

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Semantics Activity
Evaluate the brief student writing sample below. Identify how many errors this student makes, briey describe each error and what you think caused the student to make this error. Writing Prompt If you could be an animal, what animal would you be? What would you eat, what would you do, and where would you live? Susana: If I would be a animal, I will be a cat. I will sleep in the day. I will eat cat food and I will live in a cat house. The end.

Semantics Activity Answer

ACTIVITY Answer Key
Susana: If I would be a animal, I will be a cat. I will sleep in the day. I will eat cat food and I will live in a cat house. The end.

Analysis:

The prompt is written in the conditional tense which is not commonly mastered by beginning level speakers of English. So when Susana repeatedly says I will this is really one error, made repeatedly, rather than four errors. She says I will sleep in the day instead of during the day or all day. In the day is a translation of Spanish en el da which means in the daytime. Her choice of food may indicate that she does not know what cats eat or it may be that she doesnt know how to say those things in English, but cat food is not altogether incorrect. Finally, Susanas use of the words cat house is likely a generalization of dog house since there is not really a domicile for cats known in English as a cat house. There is, however, a more naughty connotation of cat house which is not at all a place where cats live but is one of those pesky multiple meaning words of English.

Implications for Educators

STRATEGIES Use the scoring rubric for your states English prociency test. What level of prociency does this sample suggest? Is there a difference in your assessment if Susana is a 10th grader instead of a 2nd grader? Determine which English language development standards need to be taught (conditional tense, tier II vocabulary, transition word and) Make a transparency of such writing samples for the group to discuss, revise, and edit.

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The Development of Language in Children

Language in Communicative Context Language as a Meaning System

Language as a Structured Rule-Governed System

Used with Permission of Dr. Noma LeMoine

Pragmatics Its not what you said, its how you said it.
The level of language as it functions and is used in a social context. Body language (rolling eyes upward, shrugging, etc.) Intonation (Its dinner time. vs. Its dinner time?) Stress (PRES-ent, pres-ENT, in-VITE, IN-vite) Pitch or tone (tonemes actually become a part of speech) Contrastive analysis charts found in some teacher guides can help teachers anticipate the language elements that may be difcult for English learners

Pragmatics: 3 Major Communication Skills

Using language for different purposes or functions such as: greetings, demanding, informing, promising, requesting Changing language according to the needs of a listener or situation such as:
talking to a baby or child vs. talking to an adult lling in background information to an unfamiliar listener playground conversation vs. classroom talk

Following rulesfor conversations and storytelling, such as:

how close to stand when speaking to someone taking turns in a conversation how to use facial expressions and eye contact how to use verbal and non-verbal signals introducing topics of conversation

These rules may vary across cultures and within cultures. It is important to understand the rules of your communication partner.
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Assocation

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Language Functions or Uses

Using language for different purposes or functions: Greetings Borrowing Inviting Informing Disagreeing

Language Functions or Uses (cont)

Testing functions
Some language prociency tests assess language functions by asking students to pretend, imagine a situation, then answer as if they were in that situation. EXAMPLE (the language function is borrowing) I am your teacher. You forgot to bring your pencil to school. What would you say to me?

Possible Responses
May I borrow a pencil? Can I borrow a pencil? Could you please lend me a pencil? I need a pencil, please. Teacher, can you borrow me a pencil? Missy, a pencil please.

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Changing Language According to the Needs of a Listener or Situation

EXAMPLES:

Talking to a baby or child vs. talking to an adult Filling in background information to an unfamiliar listener Playground conversation vs. classroom talk Interviewing for a job

Following Rules for Conversations and Storytelling

EXAMPLES: How close to stand when speaking to someone (proximity) Taking turns in a conversation How to use facial expressions and eye contact with adults, with children, with family How to use verbal and non-verbal signals Introducing topics of conversation

Proximity Activity
ACTIVITY Do you know the US accepted physical distance for conversing with another adult? With a partner, show how far away you must stand to another adult to converse comfortably. How do you know this is the distance? How do English learners learn this norm?

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Proximity Answer
In the US, the accepted distance for conversation with an adult is one arms-length apart This is not explicitly taught in school and varies from culture to culture English Learners may learn this through trying to stand too close and having the other person back away from them Consider teaching this to your English Learners

Expectations of Native Speakers May Influence How We View English Learners

ACTIVITY
Read the description of pragmatic problems on the following slide. How might the concerns expressed in the description inuence how we view culturally diverse students in US schools? Think of some other examples of L-1 expectations that may lead to referral of EL students to special education services.
Source: American Speech-LanguageHearing Association

Pragmatic Problems
It is not unusual for children to have pragmatic problems in only a few situations. However, if problems in social language use occur often and seem inappropriate considering the child's age, a pragmatic disorder may exist. Pragmatic disorders often coexist with other language problems such as vocabulary development or grammar. Pragmatic problems can lower social acceptance. Peers may avoid having conversations with an individual with a pragmatic disorder.
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

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Implications for Educators

Explicitly teach the rules of the culture of power (Delpit 1995) For newcomers especially, these rules are not always evident. For example, in US classrooms, working independently is highly prized. Taking individual turns speaking is considered polite.

References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association http:www.asha.org/public/speech/Pragmatics.htm Delpit, L. (1995) Other peoples children: Cultural conict in the classroom. New York: The New Press. University of California Linguistic Minority Institute www.lmri.uscb.edu Richard-Amato, P.A., Snow, M.A. (2005) Academic Success for English Language Learners: Strategies for K-12 Mainstream Teachers, New York: Pearson Longman