120 Hr. TEFL Course Module 2-Linguistics (Pt.3)

Module 2: Linguistics

Accents: When a syllable or sound within a word is given more attention than the others. This changes the way an individual pronounces a word.

• Stress accent, dynamic accent, or stress: When an accented syllable is given a change in pitch and volume, it is referred by any of these three names.
• Pitch accent: When the accented syllable is differentiated through a change in only the pitch which it is pronounced.
• Quantitative accent: When the accented syllable is differentiated through only a lengthening of the syllable.

Intonations: A change in the pitch of a word or syllable that does not change the meaning of the word or syllable but rather indicates any of a number of different situations, including:

• Revealing the feelings of the speaker.
• Identifying the phrase as a question or distinguishing between different types of questions.
• Giving importance to a word or phrase in the statement or question.

120 Hr TEFL Course Module 2-Linguistics (Pt.2)

Module 2: Linguistics

Vowels: A vowel is an open sound that is spoken without blockage from the lips or tongue. Vowels can be difficult because they are very versatile and shift and change a lot depending on the word in which they appear. Vowels are typically broken down into the following categories:

• Single vowels
• Short vowels
• Schwa
• Long vowels
• Diphthongs

Consonants: Consonants are sounds that are spoken with obstruction from the lips, teeth, or tongue. Just like vowels, they can be complicated to understand because there are so many variations of similar sounds. Consonants can be broken down into the following categories:

• Voiced consonants
• Unvoiced consonants

Minimal pair: Two words that differ in meaning because they contain one phoneme that is different are called minimal pairs. Minimal pairs are often words that rhyme or at least form a near rhyme.

Phone: A phone is the smallest unit of sound and refers to the way in which an individual pronounces a sound. It can therefore exist in more than one language. This is different from a phoneme, which refers specifically to the sound that is assigned to a letter or group of letters in a given language. For this reason, phones can be universal to all languages, while phonemes are specific to individual languages.

120 Hr TEFL Course Module 2.1 Phonology

Module 2: Linguistics

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2.1 Phonology

Phonology is the study of the sound and structure of a language. Essentially, phonology concerns itself with the mental representation of a sound, so understanding phonology means that you understand how to break down a word into its smaller sounds and pronounce it. This can help students tremendously in learning English for the first time because it gives them a great tool for breaking down new words and pronouncing words that they have not necessarily seen before. Let’s take a look at some of the basic concepts within phonology.

2.1.1 Basics of phonology

You can’t study phonology without discussing phonetics, but for the purposes of this course, phonology is more important. Phonology deals with how we mentally break down the pronunciation of words, while phonetics deals with producing the sounds; therefore, phonology is more relevant for people who are learning a new language, not learning spoken language for the first time. 

In phonology, words are broken down into smaller units that represent sounds to make it easier for new learners to understand how to pronounce new words. If students understand the common sound units in the English language, they will be able to sound out most words, making language acquisition much more comfortable. Here is a breakdown of some of those units of sound: 

Phonemes: A phoneme is a unit of sound that when replaced changes the sound of a word in a particular language. English is a complicated language for people to learn because even though there are twenty-six letters, there are forty-four phonemes. These phonemes represent all iterations of sounds that a letter can make. For example, a “c” can sound like a “k” or an “s,” depending on its position in a word. If an individual understands phonemes, he or she will understand all the different sounds in the English language. Phonemes are broken down into two categories: vowels and consonants.

120 Hr TEFL Course Module 2-Linguistics

Module 2: Linguistics

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Linguistics is the study of language and its structure, and is an invaluable tool for individuals who are trying to learn a new language. As we begin to think about how we are going to help our students read, write, speak, and listen to a new language, we need to prepare to give them the basics in structure that will help them understand the overall structure of the English language. In this module, we will discuss all of the major aspects of linguistics, including phonology, lexicology, morphology, syntax, phonetics, and semantics. By studying these concepts yourself, you will be better prepared to help your students learn them in the future.

Module 2: Linguistics

2.1 Phonology

2.2 Morphology

2.3 Lexicology

2.4 Syntax

2.5 Semantics

120 Hr TEFL Course Module 1-Teaching and Learning Pt.1

Module 1: Teaching and learning

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1.4 Getting started

It is no mystery that teaching students a new language is a difficult task, but it can be infinitely rewarding. So, how do you actually get started on your career? The first step, of course, you have already taken, which is to seek training. Let’s take a look at some other important aspects of successfully helping your students.

1.4.1 Ensuring your success

Here are some basic tips to ensure that you are successful and able to help your students learn English as a second language:

• Make sure you are well versed in the structure and makeup of the English language. We will discuss many things you need to know, but it couldn’t hurt to supplement this course with further study of the language. The English language is incredibly complex and full of rules that are not necessarily logical, so it will always help you to study up. 

• While we will give you many tools to become an effective teacher of English as a second language, it is important you continually seek out research and professional journal articles to keep up with the current educational trends. We are constantly discovering how we attain language and how we learn, so teaching English as a second language is a lifelong educational commitment.

• Make sure you understand how learners acquire new knowledge. As we have discussed earlier in this module, that does not just refer to language acquisition, but to knowledge acquisition as a whole. Learn everything you need to know about differentiation (which we will discuss at length in a future module) to give your students the best chance to succeed in learning their new language.
• Be prepared to be patient. If you do not come from a teaching background, you may not be aware the patience it takes to help someone learn something new. If you do come from a teaching background, then understand this may be the most difficult thing to teach someone, and you will need to be even more patient than you may have expected.
• Continually use your experiences to build strategies and concepts that work for your students. All the training in the world will help you, but the true answers to your questions of “how?” will come from experience. Make sure you don’t forget any of the lessons you learn along the way.

120 Hr TEFL Course Module 1-Teaching and Learning

Module 1: Teaching and learning

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1.4.2 Understanding the basics

There is a basic framework you will need to follow to be successful in helping students learn a new language. While we will discuss most of these concepts in detail in future modules, here is an overview to help you get started on your path to success:

• Linguistics:
  Helping your students understand the basics of linguistics will help ensure that they understand the basics of how the English language is structured, how we break down and diagram the components of a sentence, and how we communicate in English. This concept will give students a structure on which to build their true understanding of the language.

• Reading:
  Reading is one of the first skills you will develop with your students. It is typically where most teachers of English as a second language begin, because having words in front of the student can make them feel more comfortable when trying to decipher them. Students can learn to see words and sound them out with the guidance of the word in front of them.

• Writing:
  The next step is usually to work on your student’s skills in writing in English. They will have the guidance of the words in front of them as they do when they learn to read, but it requires them to take the next step because they will be the ones producing the words. This is a great time for students to work on the linguistic principles they already studied, and practice sentence structure, syntax, and other basic concepts of English.

• Speaking:
  Speaking can be the most difficult part of learning a new language. Having to sound the words out loud can add an extra level of anxiety because everyone in the class will hear the student if they make a mistake. Creating a classroom of respect and support can go a long way to assuage your students’ anxiety. If the student feels comfortable enough that they are not afraid to make mistakes in front of the class, they will be more willing to take risks.

• Listening:
  While listening is arguably a more difficult skill than speaking concerning a new language, students often feel more comfortable with it because they are not required to put themselves out there as much. However, listening is the next step after the students begin learning to speak the language. If a student can listen to something in English, comprehend it, and respond properly, they are exhibiting a complex understanding of the language, and is usually doing it without a visual reference (besides body language).

120 Hr TEFL Course Module 1-Using L1

Module 1: Teaching and learning

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1.3.2 How can we use our students’ native languages to our advantage?

While a new language like English will cerainly present obstacles for your students to overcome, there are ways you can take those obstacles and turn them into advantages. If your students are coming to class already understanding a language other than English, why not use that to help them learn better? Here are some ways that teachers can use a student’s native language to help them learn a new language:

• It is important that you understand cognates, and how to use them. A cognate is a word, or root word, used in different languages and has a similar etymological background. In other words, you can provide a link for your students between their native language and English. These cognates can be little pockets of comfort for your students as they tread into the unknown territory of a new language.
• Developing further on the above point, emphasize breaking words down to their roots as you are teaching them. This helps students have a better understanding of the patterns of the English language, which will help them succeed more quickly. This makes it easier for students to link the two languages through cognates, but also makes it easier for students to make connections between new words they are learning.
• Using different texts is a good way to help students ease into the new language. Providing a translated version of the text may change the structure, connotation, and intent, but it will give the student a frame of reference for when they get stuck. Translated texts can be a crutch for new language learners, but if they are used properly, they can work as a guide to help students feel more comfortable with a new language.

• Try asking questions in the student’s native language, but ask them to answer in English. Or switch it around and ask them questions in English that they need to answer in their native language. This may be more work for you, depending on the diversity of your classroom, but it can help students ease into understanding English.
• Use your students’ native language to help scaffold and model in English. This can be as simple as having your students write in their native language and then showing them how it would look in English. You could then ask them to do the same thing following your model. Unfortunately, this may require you to be fluent in many of languages, but you can work through it with the student if you don’t speak their native language.
• Have your students help each other. Even if the students do not speak the same native language, they are going through the same process and can bond in their desire to learn English and help each other learn.