Pre-teach target language forms deductively before journal entries incorporate them¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

In the intensive, syllabus-driven approach to focus on form, the teacher pre-teaches selected vocabulary, grammatical forms, or language functions in class, then assigns a journal entry requiring students to use those forms. For example, after lessons on comparative adjectives, students write entries comparing two people, places, or things. The author links this to DeKeyser's claim that holding declarative knowledge in mind during communicative tasks builds procedural knowledge that becomes automatized with practice.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Teacher selects and pre-teaches the target forms in class lessons before the journal assignment

Constraints¶

• The intensive approach takes time and is limited in the scope of errors that can be addressed

Target Learners¶

• adult ESL students

Target Learning Goals¶

• using targeted vocabulary, grammatical forms, and language functions in authentic written communication

Related Strategies¶

• Use sample journal entries to inductively highlight target language elements
• Use planned, proactive grammar instruction for complex infrequent structures in low-exposure EFL settings
• Design class-wide grammar lessons from common journal errors, and let students catalogue their own errors
• Provide incidental corrective feedback through clarification requests, recasts, and a P.S.
• Put students in charge of soliciting grammatical feedback through pre-taught correction questions

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Kimberly Miller Linnell. (2010). Using Dialogue Journals to Focus on Form. Journal of Adult Education Information Series, No. 1, Vol. 39. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ891083