Allocate more teaching time to difficult constructions and select light verbs for beginner and intermediate learners¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article derives two instructional recommendations from its findings for EFL teachers. First, because constructions differ sharply in difficulty, "EFL teachers should take into consideration the asymmetries in the degree to which learners have difficulty with individual constructions and allocate more time and resources to teaching more difficult constructions". Second, given the role of light verbs in intermediate learners’ sorting, the authors suggest that "a careful selection of verbs, particularly providing light verbs for beginner- and intermediate-level learners, may help learners strengthen the connection between a verb and a construction". The article also points to explicit explanation of constructional form and meaning as a promising avenue given restricted input in EFL classrooms.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Teachers need information on which constructions their learners find difficult, and control over text selection and curriculum design

Constraints¶

• The recommendations are grounded in a cross-sectional sorting and translation study; the article notes that providing abundant meaningful input is severely restricted in EFL classrooms due to constraints of time and available resources

Target Learners¶

• Korean EFL learners at elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels

Target Learning Goals¶

• Acquisition of English argument structure constructions, especially difficult ones such as the resultative

Affordances¶

• Usage Based Constructional Development

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Kim, Hyunwoo, Rah, Yangon, & Hwang, Haerim. (2020). Testing usage-based approaches to assessing EFL learners’ development of English argument structure constructions. English Teaching, 75(s1), 55-78. https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.75.s1.202006.55