TEACHING THE ENGLISH TENSE/ASPECT SYSTEM FROM A DISCOURSE BASIS IN ESL
by
Douglas Adams
Introduction:
This project seeks to investigate the effectiveness of discourse-based instruction on the acquisition of the English verb tense/aspect system by second language learners.
Brief Literature Review:
For several years now researchers in the area of discourse analysis have argued that all language should be thought of as discourse and thus, have advocated the importance of teaching grammar in a discourse context. One useful and important area within which a discourse approach could prove particularly successful is in the instruction of the English verb tense/aspect system. Several researchers, including McCarthy and Carter, have attempted to fit tense/aspect instruction into a discourse context. However, their approaches primarily focus on the role of tense/aspect in different genres. Thus they argue that students should be made aware of the ways that tense/aspect changes with specific genres (Mcarthy & Carter 1994; McCarthy 1991; Carrasquillo 1994). This instructional suggestion is too limited and offers little help to the classroom instructor in search of a more detailed, systematic method for explaining verb choice to their students. What is needed is a systematic, more extensive conception of verb tense/aspect. Such a concept was suggested by Bull in 1960. The Bull Framework, however, is not so much a practical pedagogical method as it is a theoretical concept for thinking about the English verb tense/aspect system. As such it is somewhat confusing and inaccessible to many ESL/EFL teachers. At the heart of this concept is the division of tense into three time lines: past, present and future. Within each line there is a point of reference around which all aspects relate (Bull 1960; Celce-Murcia & Larsen-Freeman 1999; Hinkel 1997). At this time, there does not yet seem to be an accessible way to use the Bull Framework within the classroom and many ESL/EFL teachers continue to present the verb tense/aspect system at the level of a series of decontextualized sentences ( van Zante et al. 2000). Such an approach often deprives learners of the necessary contextual clues with which to adequately determine the function of the forms under consideration. It is my intention to propose a practical, teacher and student-friendly method, adapted from the Bull Framework, which can be used to teach the English verb tense/aspect system in a discourse context. My particular focus will be on the instruction of the past and present time lines (Biber 1988; Hinkel 1997; Zikmund et al. 1995). Additionally, since the participants in my study will be drawn from a variety of L1 backgrounds the effects of language background will be investigated as they relate to the acquisition of tense/aspect (Bardovi-Harlig & Reynolds 1995; Coppetiers 1987; Hinkel 1997).
Hypothesis:
Second-language learners in all ability levels will improve their ability to correctly use the present and past English verb tense/aspect system in a written narrative after six hours of instruction in using English verbs in a discourse context. Instruction will be based on a method developed by the author and adapted from the Bull Framework. Improvement will be operationalized by learners' adherence to the following two criteria:
(1) Did they stay on a single time line?(if they changed time lines did they use a
transition word or phrase such as last week, at that time,....)
(2) Within time lines, did they use before, at, and after verb aspect correctly?
Methodology:
participants:
For this study I intend to elicit the participation of a minimum of six classes of students drawn from the University of Florida's English Language Institute. Within each class I hope to receive the participation of a minimum of nine students. Thus my total sample size will consist of a minimum of 54 students. These students will be drawn from three ability levels, beginning, intermediate, and advanced. Levels will based on the results of the Comprehensive English Language Test and further division by diagnostics administered by the students' teachers. The ELI uses these measures to separate students into levels ranging from 20(beginner) to 60(advanced). I realize that it could be argued that such a criteria for division does not provide a basis for replication by other researchers. However, there is no other viable alternative given the resources I have available. Despite these limitations, care will be taken to sample at least two groups of students from each ability level. These groups will be evaluated relative to each other and thus a division between ability levels should be possible. From each level I will form a control group and an experimental group. The control groups will receive instruction in English verb tense/aspect at the sentence level as outlined in the Northstar Grammar series. The experimental groups will receive instruction in English verb tense/aspect based on a discourse approach (described later). I do not expect ability level to be the crucial factor in this study but it could influence the results and thus will be included. Additionally, I intend to replicate this study at least three times over the course of a six month period with at least three different sets of classes. Thus my possible sample size should increase to at least 162 participants.
Table 2-1: Level Groupings
Beginning Intermediate
Experimental DLI (30) DLI (50)
Control SLI (20) SLI (40)
Note: DLI= Discourse-level instruction. SLI= Sentence-level instruction
materials:
The materials include a pre-test and two post-tests.(see appendix A) The pre-test and post tests follow the same pattern. Each test consist of a series of 4 pictures of scenes from various short stories including: Fog by Bill Lowe, Girl Wanted by O'Henry, and Love of Life by Jack London. The sets of pictures are descriptive and are intended to guide students in generating ideas for the written element of the test. The pictures contain no temporal clues and can be presented in a random order and should have no effect on students' choice of verb tense/aspect. Additionally, since every participant will receive the same set of pictures any possible influence the images might have can be factored out. Along with the set of pictures each test contains an instruction sheet which tells students to use a minimum of 15 sentences (every sentence has a verb) to write a narrative to explain the pictures. The first 15 verbs will be scored.
The materials also include an instruction handout on using English verb tense/aspect in a discourse context.(see appendix B) The handout can serve as an aid to student comprehension as well as an element in training teachers to teach verb tense/aspect in a discourse context.
procedure:
The pre-test will be administered to every participant, during class time, in exactly the same manner. There is no time limit as there is usually no time limit in naturalistic narrative writing. The students' writing will be evaluated for two criteria:
(1) Did they stay on a single time line?(if they changed time lines did they use a
transition word or phrase such as last week, at that time,....)
(2) Within time lines, did they use before, at, and after verb aspect correctly?
For this study I intend to elicit the participation of a
minimum of six classes of students drawn from the University of Florida's
English Language Institute. Within each class I hope to receive the
participation of a minimum of nine students. Thus my total sample size will
consist of a minimum of 54 students. These students will be drawn from three
ability levels, beginning, intermediate, and advanced. Levels will based on the
results of the Comprehensive English Language Test and further division by
diagnostics administered by the students' teachers. The ELI uses these measures
to separate students into levels ranging from 20(beginner) to 60(advanced). I
realize that it could be argued that such a criteria for division does not
provide a basis for replication by other researchers. However, there is no
other viable alternative given the resources I have available. Despite these
limitations, care will be taken to sample at least two groups of students from
each ability level. These groups will be evaluated relative to each other and
thus a division between ability levels should be possible. From each level I
will form a control group and an experimental group. The control groups will
receive instruction in English verb tense/aspect at the sentence level as
outlined in the Northstar Grammar series. The experimental groups will receive
instruction in English verb tense/aspect based on a discourse approach
(described later). I do not expect ability level to be the crucial factor in
this study but it could influence the results and thus will be included.
Additionally, I intend to replicate this study at least three times over the
course of a six month period with at least three different sets of classes.
Thus my possible sample size should increase to at least 162 participants.
Table 2-1: Level Groupings
|
Beginning
|
Intermediate
|
Experimental
|
DLI (30)
|
DLI (50)
|
Control
|
SLI (20)
|
SLI (40)
|
Note: DLI= Discourse-level
instruction. SLI= Sentence-level
instruction
The materials include a pre-test and two post-tests.(see
appendix A) The pre-test and post tests follow the same pattern. Each test
consist of a series of 4 pictures of scenes from various short stories including:
Fog by Bill Lowe, Girl Wanted by O'Henry, and Love of Life by Jack London. The sets of
pictures are descriptive and are intended to guide students in generating ideas
for the written element of the test. The pictures contain no temporal clues and
can be presented in a random order and should have no effect on students'
choice of verb tense/aspect. Additionally, since every participant will receive
the same set of pictures any possible influence the images might have can be
factored out. Along with the set of pictures each test contains an instruction
sheet which tells students to use a minimum of 15 sentences (every sentence has
a verb) to write a narrative to explain the pictures. The first 15 verbs will
be scored.
The
materials also include an instruction handout on using English verb
tense/aspect in a discourse context.(see appendix B) The handout can serve as
an aid to student comprehension as well as an element in training teachers to
teach verb tense/aspect in a discourse context.
The pre-test will be administered to every participant,
during class time, in exactly the same manner. There is no time limit as there
is usually no time limit in naturalistic narrative writing. The students'
writing will be evaluated for two criteria:
(1) Did they stay on a single time line?(if they changed time lines did
they use a
transition word or phrase
such as last week, at that time,....)
(2) Within time lines, did they use before,
at, and after verb aspect
correctly?.....
6 hour instructional procedure for experimental group:
a. Introduce the
discourse approach with two identical sentence sets which differ
only with regards to
their adherence to a single time line. (see appendix C). Ask
students which set
sounds better. (Students almost always choose the
set which maintains a
consistent time line reference) This provides a lead-in to the lesson.
b. Conduct lesson on the present time line (use the handout for an
assist).
In addition to the sample
paragraphs found in the handout, generate at least two present time paragraphs
on the board with the participation of the students. Diagram these paragraphs
to illustrate the before, at, and after relationships.
*Note: if students have difficulty understanding the meaning of "at"(point
of reference),
advise them to think of it like the "you are
here" arrow on a Disneyland park
map.
c. Have students work in pairs and practice by writing a present
time line
paragraph. Then have
each pair share their paragraph on a section of the chalk
board. Finally, in a
time of peer correction go over any mistakes and also
reinforce any
correctly done elements.
d. HW: write and diagram a present time line paragraph
a. Briefly review the present time line with an example paragraph.
b. Conduct lesson on the past
time line (use the handout for an assist).
In addition to the sample
paragraphs found in the handout, generate at least two past time paragraphs on
the board with the participation of the students. Diagram these paragraphs to
illustrate the before, at, and after relationships.
c. Have students work in pairs
and practice by writing a past time line
paragraph. Then have
each pair share their paragraph on a section of the chalk
board. Finally, in a
time of peer correction go over any mistakes and also
reinforce any
correctly done elements.
d. HW: write and
diagram a present time line paragraph.
a. Review both time lines by providing sample paragraphs.
b. Have students work in pairs to write a narrative to explain the
events of a
series of pictures
taken from Hearts and Crosses by
O'Henry. Instruct them to
use at least 15
sentences. Allow them to choose the time line they'll use.
Then have groups
share their stories orally, clearly stating the verbs they used.
Elicit peer
evaluation and correction of any errors.
c. HW: Have students write a narrative, containing at least 15
sentences, about a
memorable experience
they had.
The
procedure for the control group will take 5 weeks and is outlined in the verb
tense chapters of Northstar's Focus on
Grammar. Post-test #1 will
be administered immediately after completion of instruction. The procedure for
the post-test is the same as for the pre-test. Post-test #2 will be
administered one month after completion of instruction. The procedure for the
post-test is the same as for the pre-test.
Based on the results of a previously conducted pilot
study, it is expected that the instruction of the present and past English verb
tense/aspect system within a discourse context will yield improvement in the
written narratives of participants as operationalized in my hypothesis. This
improvement is further expected to be evident across ability levels. I do not
anticipate the same degree of improvement to be existent in the written
narratives of the control group participants. If the evidence suggests that
this method is effective then it could represent a viable alternative to the
current practice of sentence-level instruction.
I intend to compare the means of the pre-test and post
tests, for each of the groups, to infer a pattern of improvement. Each test
will be scored based upon two criteria: adherence to a single timeline and
correct use of before, at and after relationships. Thus, each
narrative will receive two scores and a mean will be calculated for each set of
scores. If the resulting distribution is skewed due to outliers I intend to
calculate the median score. To test the Null Hypothesis I intend to perform a
paired t-test between the control and
experimental groups' results. Furthermore, I also intend to use aone-way ANOVA
to interpret the effects of the language background and ability level
variables.
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