ASSIGNMENT 2
LANGUAGE SKILLS RELATED TASKS
1. What is the purpose of receptive skills lessons?
Receptive skills lessons refers to listening and reading. These types of
lessons animate passive vocabulary while increasing students’ lexis
knowledge and contributes to better spelling and pronunciation.
Nevertheless, by introducing a captivating topic which ignites discussion,
will improve the effect of the overall lesson, as Jeremy Harmer said, ‘’-
good reading texts provide the springboard for well-rounded, fascinating
lessons’’.
2. How can you prepare students to read or listen for the first time?
Students might approach reading or listening for the first time by
concentrating on understanding every word. Firstly, teachers must prompt
them, for example, to read fast in order to comprehend the general idea
and not focus on individual words.
3. Why are tasks, in general, set before (not after) students read or
listen to a text?
The tasks are set before reading or listening in order to give the students a
viable reason for reading or listening and to set the pace in the case of a
reading task. For example, students would read quickly for a skimming or
scanning task but they will have to decrease their reading speed when
reading for detailed comprehension.
4. Why is a gist task normally set before a detailed task when students
listen or read?
Students need to familiarize themselves with the general topic of the text or
recoding before reading or listening for specific or detailed information.
Also, a gist task will give students confidence and courage for attempting a
more detailed task.
, 5. What is skimming? Give an example of when we skim
Skimming a text is reading quickly through a text in order to get a general
idea of the topic, as Jeremy Harmer said, ‘’as if they were casting their
eyes over its surface’’. For example, when you look through a book to see
if you want to read it extensively.
6. What is scanning? Give an example of when we scan.
Scanning a text is reading rapidly to find and localize specific
information in the text. For example, when looking for names and dates
in a written text.
7. Why do we often teach vocabulary before students read or listen
for the first time?
Students need some ammunition in order to prepare for the text.
Therefore, the essential lexis that might hinder understanding of general
meaning needs to be addressed beforehand. Also, this is an opportunity
for prediction. According to Harmer, ‘’teachers should give students hints
so that they can predict what’s coming’’
8. How do we decide which items of vocabulary to pre-teach?
We need to take in consideration whether the words we want to pre teach
firstly, are related to understanding the general idea of the text. Secondly,
can be guessed from context and lastly, if they need to know them to do
the tasks.
9. Why is it useful to follow a listening or reading activity with an
activity to practise and develop productive language skills?
Free practice after reading or listening gives students the opportunity to
implement and personalize the new lexis through a different skill on the
same topic, for example, speaking or writing. Also, it gives the teacher
evidence on how successful the lesson has been.
LANGUAGE SKILLS RELATED TASKS
1. What is the purpose of receptive skills lessons?
Receptive skills lessons refers to listening and reading. These types of
lessons animate passive vocabulary while increasing students’ lexis
knowledge and contributes to better spelling and pronunciation.
Nevertheless, by introducing a captivating topic which ignites discussion,
will improve the effect of the overall lesson, as Jeremy Harmer said, ‘’-
good reading texts provide the springboard for well-rounded, fascinating
lessons’’.
2. How can you prepare students to read or listen for the first time?
Students might approach reading or listening for the first time by
concentrating on understanding every word. Firstly, teachers must prompt
them, for example, to read fast in order to comprehend the general idea
and not focus on individual words.
3. Why are tasks, in general, set before (not after) students read or
listen to a text?
The tasks are set before reading or listening in order to give the students a
viable reason for reading or listening and to set the pace in the case of a
reading task. For example, students would read quickly for a skimming or
scanning task but they will have to decrease their reading speed when
reading for detailed comprehension.
4. Why is a gist task normally set before a detailed task when students
listen or read?
Students need to familiarize themselves with the general topic of the text or
recoding before reading or listening for specific or detailed information.
Also, a gist task will give students confidence and courage for attempting a
more detailed task.
, 5. What is skimming? Give an example of when we skim
Skimming a text is reading quickly through a text in order to get a general
idea of the topic, as Jeremy Harmer said, ‘’as if they were casting their
eyes over its surface’’. For example, when you look through a book to see
if you want to read it extensively.
6. What is scanning? Give an example of when we scan.
Scanning a text is reading rapidly to find and localize specific
information in the text. For example, when looking for names and dates
in a written text.
7. Why do we often teach vocabulary before students read or listen
for the first time?
Students need some ammunition in order to prepare for the text.
Therefore, the essential lexis that might hinder understanding of general
meaning needs to be addressed beforehand. Also, this is an opportunity
for prediction. According to Harmer, ‘’teachers should give students hints
so that they can predict what’s coming’’
8. How do we decide which items of vocabulary to pre-teach?
We need to take in consideration whether the words we want to pre teach
firstly, are related to understanding the general idea of the text. Secondly,
can be guessed from context and lastly, if they need to know them to do
the tasks.
9. Why is it useful to follow a listening or reading activity with an
activity to practise and develop productive language skills?
Free practice after reading or listening gives students the opportunity to
implement and personalize the new lexis through a different skill on the
same topic, for example, speaking or writing. Also, it gives the teacher
evidence on how successful the lesson has been.
