Lesson 3: Chunks and Scripts

Review

1. In the video clip about buying items at the checkout counter in Brazil, why couldn't Prof. Kelm understand what the girl asked?

2. In the blog É isso aí students get to hear chunks and scripts from what source?

3. "Narrow listening" refers to the idea of focusing study on a small portion of language in great detail.

Clear Answers



Reflect

Go back to the É isso aí blog site and view other clips of the student skits. Read the posted comments with the transcripts and analysis (don't worry if you do not understand Portuguese). As you view items, consider the following questions:

  1. How might this same activity be modified for beginning-level students?
  2. Currently the students are primed for the video skit activity by doing writing assignments on similar topics and by studying the Brazilian recordings from Portuguese Communication Exercises. What other types of "priming" devices would be good for students?
  3. If students are producing lots of errors in the video clips, does that concern you? And if so, what strategies do you have to improve on this.
  4. Notice that the nature of the assignment is to accomplish a task. It is not to specifically adopt phrasal "chunks" or follow specific "script" models. Students are allowed to adopt language samples that they have gleaned from other sources any way they want to. Is that the best approach, or should students be required to incorporate specific grammar or vocabulary items into their skits?
  5. Review all of the ways in which technology played a role in the completion of this assignment.
  6. Review all of the ways in which students were able to learn about language chunks and scripts as part of this assignment.
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