Page:Adapting and Writing Language Lessons.pdf/105

CHAPTER 3 The next step is to analyze the existing lesson for its content in all three dimensions: linguistic, social, and topical.




 * Eleven sentences, invariable except for substitution of personal names, suitable for use in introducing oneself and in exchanging morning greetings. Intonation contours are marked.


 * Lists of monosyllabic words containing the diphthongs which the Trager-Smith transcription writes /iy, ey, oy, ay, aw, ow, uw/, and short phrases or sentences that include these words. (The authors do not assume that these words and phrases will be intelligible to beginning students.) Lists of phrases and sentences with the common 231↓ statement intonation pattern, realized in short utterances that have various stress patterns.  Stress and intonation are portrayed 'iconically,' with an effective system of lines and geometrical figures.


 * The sentence patterns represented on p. 85 (above), requiring the student to produce person-number agreement between a subject and the present tense of 'be,' followed by four kinds of complements. Nouns standing for locations follow prepositions, with no intervening article: all other nouns have the indefinite article.




 * Generally suitable for adults who don't know each other, or who are not close friends. May be used 'for real' among members of the class.