NATIONAL MEETING of TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES

INTRODUCING THE TRAINEE TEACHER TO SFG

Lic. Patricia V. Meehan Prof. Candelaria Luque Colombres ____________________________________________________________________________
Ctedra de Prctica Gramatical del Ingls Facultad de Lenguas Universidad Nacional de Crdoba

OVERVIEW Objectives of the Workshop Formal Grammar Vs Functional Grammar Verb Tenses with a Functional Approach The Passive Voice with a Functional Approach Conditional Sentences with a Functional Approach Benefits of the Approach Objectives of this workshop: Ideally, by the end of this workshop teachers: should have activated their knowledge of the main differences between Formal and Functional Grammar. should have an idea of how to design classroom activities applying a functional approach. should see Functional Grammar as another tool to help them optimize their students learning process and be ready to combine it with traditional formal grammar, which by no means should be left aside.

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SFG SAMPLE ACTIVITIES: THE PASSIVE VOICE 1. ANALYSIS OF PASSIVE VOICE IN CONTEXT Read these texts below and underline the verbal forms in the passive voice. Try to explain why the passive voice has been chosen in each case. Refer to the reason for omission of the agent when it corresponds.

DAMAGE ON CASTLE ROOF The roof of Mockham Castle had been repaired after the storms of the previous winter. However, high quality material had not been used and the bad summer weather caused more damage. The roof area is going to be replaced completely next year if the necessary funds can be raised.*

HEALEY BACK ON WHEELS Chris Healey, the Formula One driver, has won several minor races. This year, he has changed racing teams and has achieved greater success. He was disqualified from the Monaco Grand Prix when he was leading the race. However, he has recovered his confidence and has won the Driver of the Month award.*

LOCAL HOSPITAL FALLING TO PIECES Yesterday morning, Dr. A. Williams was interviewed on his first year as Head of the Local Hospital. When asked about the appalling conditions of the premises and the poor medical service this is what he said: Little has been done due to the fact that the government never sent the funds they had promised. Therefore, patients are not being treated they way we would like to treat them......

APPROPRIATE PLAYING AND TRAINING KIT Players must be encouraged to have their kit regularly washed and they must wear boot that conform to the Rugby Football Union regulations with regard to studs. Professionally made mouthguards should be worn for training and playing and players must never chew gum. Jewellery of any kind must not be worn. All players and specially the front five guards, should wear shin guards. All players (or their parents) should consult their family doctors about tetanus injections.

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2. CHOOSE THE BEST SENTENCE FROM EACH PAIR TO BUILD UP A CONTINUOUS TEXT. HOW BOOKS ARE MADE 1. First of all the printers print big sheets of paper. /First of all, big sheets of paper are printed. 2. Each sheet contains the text of a number of pages./The text of a number of pages is contained in each sheet. 3. People fold and cut the sheets to produce sections of the book./The sheets are folded and cut to produce sections... 4. These sections are called signatures. /We call these sections signatures 5. The printers put all the signatures together in the correct order/All the signatures are put together in the correct 6. Then they are bound together/Then they bind them together 7. Finally, the cover is attached/Finally they attach the cover. 8. Now the publishers can publish the book/now the book can be published.

3. ANALYSE THE TEXTS BELOW AND DECIDE WHY THEY ARE FAULTY: (Rewrite them)

The college football cup was stolen last night. In addition, a lot of furniture was broken. The thieves also burnt important documents and slogans were painted on the headmasters office wall. The police are investigating the incident. *
CUTES FILM IN SCOTLAND

VANDALISM IN COLLEGE

Phoebe Cute has made several films in the USA but now she has decided to make a film in Britain. She will play the role of a seventeenth century princess. A famous director chose her for the role. The film will be shot in Scotland. They are already choosing extras.*
*Adapted from Grammar Goals (Black Cat Publishing, 2002), 28

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SAMPLE LESSON: VERB TENSES 1.The comic strip below uses five different tenses: Identify them Find an example of each of these tenses in the comic strip . Then identify one verb phrase from the strip that expresses each of the following meanings:
1. event in progress 2. present situation 3. event completed in the past before another event 4. action completed t a definite point in the past 5. event in progress at a specific time in the past

Adapted from Grammar Dimensions 4 by Frodesen J.& J.Eyring

2.

A. Predict the type of text these headings have been taken from. B. Read the texts below and match them with their headings. C. Underline the finite verbs in each text. D. Identify the verb tense that prevails in each text and refer to the meaning it conveys in this context. E. Can you draw any conclusion as regards the relationship between the type of text and the tenses used?

A. UNDERSTANDING HISTORY Henry VIII and the English Reformation B. Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies C. Arthur Miller The Crucible D.YOUTH LEVEL II - Philosophy and spirit of the game E. Lewis Carrol Alices adventures in Wonderland F. LIFE SCIENCE - Life process in mollusks

NATIONAL MEETING of TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES Rugby Union is a game of movement. Movement is the key, movement of the ball, of the player with and without the ball, in support and in defence. In order to play the dynamic game every player must be able to produce the skills of running, handling, evasion and of kicking to every high level under the pressures and restrictions of the game situation. High level skills and the understanding of how, when and why to bring these into play are fundamental to progress. Coaches working with young players have the responsibility and the challenge to ensure that this foundation is truly laid, for this is the base from which progress and success most readily come. Mollusks get food in different ways. A bivalve filters food particles from the water that flows across its mantle. Univalves and some other mollusks eat with a radula, which is like a tongue with teeth, that loosens food growing on rocks. Octopi and squids move quickly to catch a meal, relying on suction-cup discs on their powerful arms to seize other animals. PARRIS: Where is my wood? My contract provides I be supplied with all my firewood. I am waiting since November for a stick, and even in November I had to show my frostbitten hands like some London beggar! GILES: You are allowed six pound a year to buy your wood, Mr. Parris. PARRIS: I regard that six pound as part of my salary. I am paid little enough without I spend six pound on firewood. PROCTOR: Sixty, plus six for firewood PARRIS: The salary is sixty-six pound, Mr. Proctor! I am not some preaching farmer with a book under my arm; I am a graduate of Harvard College. Alice did not at all like the tone of this remark, and thought it would be as well to introduce some other subject of conversation. While she was trying to fix on one, the cook took the cauldron of soup off the fire, and at once set to work throwing everything within her reach at the Duchess and the baby the fire-irons came first; then followed a shower of saucepans, plates, and dishes. The Duchess took no notice of them even when they hit her; and the baby was howling so much already, that it was quite impossible to say whether the blows hurt it or not. Henry VIII had been involved in a number of wars in Europe, all of which had been expensive. He could not raise enough money by taxes and was always looking for extra sources of money. In 1535 Henry ordered an investigation into the wealth of the monasteries. This showed that the monasteries owned about one quarter of the land of England.

1 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1. Preheat oven to 375F. 2. 3.

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture to blend. Add chocolate chips. 5

NATIONAL MEETING of TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES 4. Place 1-inch diameter balls of dough about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Do not over bake. Cool on a wire rack. Make 36 cookies.

SFG SAMPLE ACTIVITIES: CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Famous Stories The following sentences state facts about famous stories. Imagine a different ending and write your own ideas.

1. Cinderella left her shoe at the palace.

If Cinderella hadnt left her shoe at the palace, the prince would never have found her and they wouldnt have married.

2. Little Red Riding Hood took the longer way. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 3. The wolf was able to get into the last pigs house. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 4. The prince kissed Sleeping Beauty. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 5. Snow White was beautiful. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 6. Pinocchio lied. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 7. Alice followed Rabbit. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
6

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Read the headlines and react using an appropriate conditional sentence for each, as in the example.

1- If it is a boy, she will name him Michael. 1PREGNANT JULIA ROBERTS FAVOURTE NAME: MICHAEL

4-

VIOLENT CITIZENS RIOTING AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT

2-

THE POPE CANNOT TRAVEL DUE TO OLD AGE

5-

WEATHER FORECAST IN CASE OF RAIN FINAL SOCCER CUP PUT OFF

3-

ACTRESS IN CAR ACCIDENT FILMING DELAYED*

6-

HEAVY RAINS CAUSE FLOODING OF CREEK VALLEY*

2- ______________________________________________________________ 3- ______________________________________________________________ 4- ______________________________________________________________ 5- ______________________________________________________________ 6- ______________________________________________________________

(*From Dooley & V. Evans, 1999:128)

________________________________________________________________________________ Bibliography
Biber D., S, Conrad and G. Leech. Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Logman, 2002. Dooley, J. and V. Evans. Grammarway 3. Express Publishing, 1999. Frodesen, J. and J. Eyring Grammar Dimensions. Heinle & Heinle, 2000. Graver, B.D. Advanced English Practice. Oxford University Press, 1971. Hoyt Schmidt, H. Advanced English Grammar. Prentice Hall Regents, 1995. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Third Edition. Longman, 1995. Quirk, R. and S. Greenbaum. A Students Grammar of the English Language . Longman, 1990. 7

NATIONAL MEETING of TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGES Sellen, D. Grammar Goals. Black Cat Publishing, 2002. Vince, M. Advanced Language Practice. Heinemann, 1994.