La gramtica y el vocabulario en la clase de

espaol

The PACE Model for Grammar Teaching

Span 592
Fall 2013
Gabriela C. Zapata USC
 Main Concepts

Learning grammatical structures apart from their use and function is

pointless unless one wants to be a linguist or describe a language
systematically without becoming a communicatively competent user of that
language (Larsen-Freeman, 2003). Like road signs, grammatical structures
take on meaning only if they are situated within a context, within people,
and within connected discourse. They become internalized only if the
learners are placed in a situation in which they need to use the structures
for communication and participation in communicative events (Adair-Hauck
& Donato, 2002; DeKeyser & Sokalski, 1996; Fotos & Ellis, 1991; Salaberry,
1997; Shaffer, 1989; VanPatten & Cadierno, 1993). Thus, an important role
of the language teacher is to create learning situations in which students
perceive how grammar can be used to comprehend and interpret the
target language and how to use grammar in meaningful exchanges. In
other words, learners need to understand how grammar will enable them to
become better meaning makers. (Chapter 7, p. 118) (Main concept)

 La enseanza de la gramtica
Conceptos y consideraciones importantes
Enseanza deductiva: se ensean las reglas primero y luego se practican
Enseanza inductiva: los estudiantes descubren las reglas trabajando en
un contexto
Ventajas de la enseanza inductiva
La gramtica siempre est contextualizada
Los estudiantes deben descubrir las reglas mediante el uso de la
lengua
Pero la enseanza inductiva slo puede funcionar si existe:
el anlisis de la lengua (metalingstico) y la reflexinconexin
entre significado y forma (Swains [1995, 2000] Output
Hypothesis)We can only get to output through USE.
Why is use (output) so important?
Output pushes learners to process language more deeplywith more
mental effortthan does input.
[Through language use], learners can stretch their interlanguage
[learners version of the target languagethe system they have
acquired] to meet communicative goals.
 La enseanza de la gramtica
Conceptos y consideraciones importantes
(cont.)
Para producir los estudiantes NECESITAN HACER ALGO [no estn solamente
sentados escuchando pasivamente nuestras reglas]. Los estudiantes deben
usar la lengua para establecer conexiones entre el uso y la forma y de esa
forma pueden descubrir qu saben y qu necesitan aprender.
Output (use) may stimulate learners to move from the semantic, open-ended,
strategic processing prevalent in comprehension to the complete grammatical
processing needed for accurate production [noticingacquisition; hypothesis
testing]. (Swain 2000, pp. 99-100)
Output requires bottom-up processing and thus is likely to make learners
aware of gaps in their competence.
Learners can be prompted to produce pushed output (i.e., output that is
more comprehensible and/or more linguistically accurate.).
Learners have an opportunity to produce long as well as short turns.
Learners have an opportunity to experiment with L2 forms that lie at the
cutting edge of their linguistic development.
Learners can self-correct their own output. (Ellis & Shintani, 2014, p. 209)
 La enseanza de la gramtica
Conceptos y consideraciones importantes
(cont.)
o Cmo podemos lograr esto? Guided discovery (Ellis & Shintani, 2014)

o Consciousness-raising activities: a pedagogic activity where the

learners are provided with L2 data in some form [e.g., exercises in book
prcticaand rules] and required to perform some operation on or with
it, the purpose of which is to arrive at an explicit understanding of some
linguistic properties of the target language. (Ellis, 1997, p. 160)

1. Identify and consolidate: students are asked to search a set of data to

identify a particular pattern or usage, and the language forms associated
with it.
2. Hypothesis building/checking: students are given (or asked to make) a
generalization about language and asked to check this against more
language data.
3. Reconstruction/Deconstruction: students are required to manipulate
language in ways which reveal underlying patterns. (Willis & Willis, 1996,
p. 69)
 La enseanza de la gramtica
The PACE Model
Main theoretical basis: The National Standards
Communica+on is at the core of second language learning(p. 265) Added to this goal is the need to
provide students with opportuni+es to reect upon the language system they are learning to use. (p.
266)
The Standards for Foreign Language Learning stress that knowledge of the language system including
grammar, vocabulary, phonology, pragma+cs, and discourse features undergirds the accuracy of
communica+on. Furthermore, researchers who have inves+gated immersion programs (ideal
instruc+onal contexts for language acquisi+on) have also stressed the need for language arts or focus on
form for second language development. (p. 266)
In terms of grammar instruc+on, words, phrases, or sentences are not linguis+c islands unto themselves;
on the contrary, these linguis+c elements only gain meaning when they are placed in context and used in
conjunc+on with the whole: once students experience the whole, they are beMer prepared to deal with
analysis of the parts (Fountas and Hannigan). (As cited on page 269)
Words, phrases, or sentences do not take on meaning when viewed in isola+on from each other; on
the contrary, these linguis+c elements only gain meaning when used in connected discourse forming a
coherent whole. Therefore, if words take on their meanings only when used in connec+on to each other,
students will need to experience whole contextualized language (stories, legends, poems, listening
selec+ons, cartoons, songs, recipes, etc.) with an emphasis on meaning-making and sense-making before
a focus on form can be a produc+ve instruc+onal ac+vity. (p. 270)
 La enseanza de la gramtica
The PACE Model (cont.)
Grammar teaching through discourse (e.g., a story). Why?
A story-based language approach stresses natural discourse and encourages students
to comprehend meaningful and longer samples of discourse from the very beginning of
the lesson. Once students experience the whole, then they are better able to deal with
the parts. (p. 270)
By introducing the lesson with a whole text, the teacher foreshadows the grammar
explanation through the use of integrated discourse that will highlight the critical
grammar structures to be taught The story or text highlights the functional
significance of the grammatical structure before the learners' attention is focused on
form A story-based and guided participatory approach invites the learner to
comprehend and experience the functions and purposes of language through integrated
discourse in the form of a story. (p. 270)
As a result, from the very beginning of the lesson the teacher and learners are
engaged in authentic use of language through joint problem-solving activities and
interactions to render the story comprehensible. By using pictures, mime, and
gestures, the teacher scaffolds and guides the learners eventually to comprehend the
story or other sample of connected discourse. Once comprehension is achieved, the
teacher can safely turn the students' attention to various linguistic elements. (pp.
270-271)
 La enseanza de la gramtica
The PACE Model (cont.)
Steps and phases
Choose a storytake into account grammar and vocabulary focus
McWilliams suggests that, when selec+ng a story, it include these ve cri+cal
components:
1. +me and seZng;
2. characters with a personality;
3. a major problem;
4. aMempts to solve this problem with outcomes that build to a climax;
5. a quick resolu+on and ending. (p. 271)
A three-to-ve minute story is ample especially for elementary and
intermediate level learners. Using visuals, the teacher needs to be able to
narrate or tell the story, not read it, which is another reason that the story
should not be too long. Therefore, elementary and intermediate level language
teachers may have to abbreviate the text and/or simplify complex gramma+cal
structures (e.g., tell the folktale in present tense to beginning level students).
This strategy is in keeping with storytelling prac+ces for na+ve language
speakers. (p. 271)
La enseanza de la gramtica
The PACE Model (cont.)
Steps and phases (cont.)
 La enseanza de la gramtica
The PACE Model (cont.)
Steps and phases (cont.)
1. Pre-listening, pre-reading activities:
Introductory activitiesmotivate students, activate schemas
Introduce ten to twelve critical words to assist the learners' comprehension before
the storytelling phase [in target language] In this way, [the] pre-listening activity is
also modeling discourse strategies for the learners. (p. 280). Ideas?
2. Presentation:
During the actual storytelling phase, the teacher tells or nego+ates the meaning of the story
using ancillary tools (props, illustra+ons, gestures, mime) to help convey the meaning of the
story. The teacher needs to take plenty of +me to nego+ate the meaning of the story during
this sense-making stage... The teacher keeps the presenta+on phase interac+ve by
incorpora+ng comprehension checks (signaling thumbs up/down) with an emphasis on
meaning. (p. 282)
The framework of the story holds the learners aMen+on by mo+va+ng students to try to
comprehend: 1. when the story takes place; 2. who the characters are; 3. what the events are;
4. why there is a conict; 5. what the resolu+on is. (Adair-Hauck, 1996, p. 253)
For the second telling of the story, the teacher may want to use a graphic organizer that assists
learners to focus their aMen+on on the wh-ques+ons or Who-What-Where-When of the story.
Note that this ac+vity focuses on the meaning of the story. (p. 282)
 La enseanza de la gramtica
The PACE Model (cont.)
Steps and phases (cont.)
3. AMen+on Phase to Focus on Form:
Ader the presenta+on phase, the teacher can move into the aMen+on phase of PACE. This
phase focuses the learners' aMen+on on some forms of the language that were used during the
presenta+on phase. The aMen+on phase is a necessary instruc+onal detour (Cazden) from the
mainstream of meaningful language in order to call aMen+on to some salient parts or linguis+c
elements. A PACE lesson will focus on the regulari+es of the language system (i.e., phonemic
system, verb tenses, adjec+ve agreement, word order, discourse markers, etc.) rather than on
the excep+ons to rules. (Text enhancement, exercises, etc.)
4. Co-construc+on Phase to Focus on Form
5. Extension Phase (follow-up ac+vi+es)
Extension ac+vi+es can include informa+on-gap ac+vi+es, role-play situa+ons, drama+za+ons,
games, authen+c wri+ng projects, paired interviews, class surveys, out-of-class projects, or
simula+ons of real-life situa+ons. (p. 286)

 Your task

Using the text I have given you, you need to create a PACE lesson. Your
lesson should include all the phases in the method, and you should also
explain how you are going to present the activity to your students.
You will find images that you can use on BB.
This assignment is due on October 25.
 La enseanza de la gramtica
Pasos y actividades

1. Presentacin: Inductivaa travs del uso (por ejemplo, a traves de un

ejercicio simple del libro de texto). Asegurarse de:
1. Introducir el tema de la actividad (conexin con contenido de la clase)
2. Presentar la estructura gramatical en ejercicios que requieran diferentes
destrezas y enfatizar la forma y el significado de la misma
3. EjemploAsegurarse que el ejercicio es un buen ejemplo de una situacin
donde la estructura se usara en el mundo real (ej., el imperfecto para
hablar de la infancia)
2. Elicitar las reglas: Conexin entre significado (uso) y forma. Usar el
trabajo/los errores de los estudiantes como punto de partida.
3. Prctica enfocada: The student manipulates the structure in question
while all the other variables are held constant. (Celce-Murcia & Hilles,
1988, p.27) Actividades para esta fase? (ejercicios pre y cuasi
comunicativosfill-in-blanks, sentence reconstruction; cloze test; song;
simple dialogues; questions/answers)
 La enseanza de la gramtica
Pasos y actividades (cont.)

4. Prctica comunicativa. Actividades: information gap, role plays,

dictogloss (por qu?), historias generadas por los estudiantes
5. Reflexin: Ms conexiones entre uso y forma!! Anlisis de errores
6. Ms prctica: Tarea; la estructura se incorpora en las prximas clases.

Cmo llamamos la atencin de los estudiantes a la gramtica?

Text-enhancement: Color, negrita, bastardilla
Asociacin con uso y tema: ej., las actividades de mi infancia:
imperfecto.
 La enseanza del vocabulario
Conceptos y consideraciones importantes

Qu necesitamos tener en cuenta cuando enseamos vocabulario?

Forma: pronunciacin y ortografa
Gramtica
Colocacin
Variaciones dialectales
Connotaciones
Enseanza inductiva para el vocabulario tambin.
La enseanza SIEMPRE CONTEXTUALIZADA.
Los estudiantes tienen que descubrir el significado (y otra
informacin basada en el uso. Por ejemplo, asociacin de ideas,
colocacin, sinnimos, opuestos, etc.)
 La enseanza del vocabulario
Pasos y actividades

1. Presentacin: Inductivaa travs del uso (por ejemplo, a traves de un

ejercicio simple del libro de texto). Asegurarse de:
1. Introducir el tema de la actividad (conexin con contenido de la clase)
2. Presentar la estructura gramatical en ejercicios que requieran diferentes
destrezas y enfatizar la forma y el significado de la misma
3. EjemploAsegurarse que el ejercicio es un buen ejemplo de una situacin
donde la estructura se usara en el mundo real (ej., el imperfecto para
hablar de la infancia)
2. Elicitar el significado: Conexin entre significado (uso) y forma. Usar el
trabajo/los errores de los estudiantes como punto de partida.
3. Prctica enfocada: Actividades para esta fase? (ejercicios pre y cuasi
comunicativosfill-in-blanks, sentence reconstruction; cloze test; song;
simple dialogues; questions/answers, choose the one that does not
belong, write a definition for)
 La enseanza del vocabulario
Pasos y actividades (cont.)

4. Prctica comunicativa. Actividades: information gap, role plays,

dictogloss, historias generadas for los estudiantes, la creacin de una
mquina, un monstruo, una casa, un hotel, un lugar para vacacionar.
5. Reflexin: Ms conexiones entre uso y forma!! Anlisis de errores
6. Ms prctica: Tarea; el vocabulario se incorpora en las prximas clases.

Cmo llamamos la atencin de los estudiantes al vocabulario?

Text-enhancement: Color, negrita, bastardilla
Asociacin con uso y tema: ej., en un restaurante: comida.