In this paper, it is argued that task-based language teaching is a suitable teaching method for explaining the English grammar of reported speech to foreign learners. Reported Speech is used when a sentence is reconstructed. However, the reported sentence has some differences from the original sentence, for example the tense and the pronouns. Cognitive Grammar aspects, integrated into TBLT, help learners understand the meaning behind the tense backshift and the other differences and allows them to apply this form correctly.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Reported Speech
2.1. Form
2.2. Meaning
3. Task-Based Language Learning
3.1. Development and theory
3.2. Definition of task
3.3. The role of grammar
3.4. Willi’s task cycle
4. Didactic Reduction
5. Didactic Principles
6. Lesson Plan
7. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper explores the integration of Cognitive Grammar and Task-Based Language Learning (TBLT) as an effective pedagogical approach for teaching reported speech to ninth-grade students. The primary research objective is to demonstrate how a task-based framework, specifically utilizing a didactic reduction of complex grammatical rules, can facilitate meaningful learning and authentic language production.
- Theoretical foundations of Cognitive Grammar and its relevance to reported speech.
- Principles of Task-Based Language Learning (TBLT) and the implementation of task cycles.
- Didactic strategies for reducing complex linguistic theory for secondary education.
- Practical application of communicative tasks in a foreign language classroom.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. Form
In English it is possible to directly reproduce a statement at a later point in time by quoting the original speaker, which would thus take the form of “Jeff said ‘I am tired’” (Langacker 1991: 254). When a person wants to report people's thoughts or statements, they often use their own words by forming sentences with a reporting clause and a reported clause (cf. Hewings 2013: 64), for instance, "He said that the weather was very beautiful". There are some possible reporting verbs, such as "say", "think", "mention" and "agree", after which one uses "that", but it can be omitted if the sentence is in informal speech (cf. Hewings 2013: 66). After some reporting verbs, such as "tell", "ask", "order" and "advice", a personal pronoun and "to" is used (cf. Vince & Sunderland 2003: 98), for instance in "He told me to shut the door". If the exact wording is important to the speaker, he can use a quotation with a reporting clause, either before, in the middle or at the end of the quotation (cf. Hewings 2013: 64), "The weather is very beautiful", he said to me.
In most text books a rule called “backshifting” (Larsen-Freeman & Celce-Murcia 2016: 732) or “sequence-of-tenses rule” (Larsen-Freeman & Celce-Murcia 2016: 732) is described, according to which the tense in the reported clause is determined by the tense in the reporting clause (cf. Larsen-Freeman & Celce-Murcia 2016: 732). Therefore, the verb in the reported clause has to "backshift" (Larsen-Freeman & Celce-Murcia 2016: 732), but only if the verb in the reporting clause is in the past tense (cf. Larsen-Freeman & Celce-Murcia 2016: 732), e.g. "I am hungry" changes to "He said he was hungry". Additionally, pronouns in the original statement change from the first person, such as "I" or "we" to the third person "he", "she" or "they", "tomorrow" changes to "the next day" and "yesterday" to "the day before", as there is a change in perspective and a
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the pedagogical potential of combining Cognitive Grammar with task-based teaching to explain reported speech effectively.
2. Reported Speech: This section covers the formal rules and semantic aspects of reported speech, including tense backshift and changing perspectives.
3. Task-Based Language Learning: This chapter provides the theoretical framework for TBLT, defining tasks, the role of grammar, and the structure of Willis’s task cycle.
4. Didactic Reduction: This section discusses the simplification of linguistic theory, focusing on core concepts suitable for ninth-grade learners.
5. Didactic Principles: This chapter outlines the practical application, describing a specific lesson sequence involving a celebrity interview task.
6. Lesson Plan: This chapter presents a structured overview of the lesson phases, social forms, and media usage.
7. Bibliography: This section lists all academic sources referenced throughout the paper.
Keywords
Reported Speech, Task-Based Language Learning, TBLT, Cognitive Grammar, Didactic Reduction, Willis’s Task Cycle, Grammar Instruction, Foreign Language Teaching, Communicative Language Teaching, Linguistic Theory, Tense Backshift, Communicative Competence, Pedagogic Tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper examines how to teach the grammatical structure of reported speech using task-based language learning (TBLT) methods, grounded in the principles of Cognitive Grammar.
What are the primary themes covered?
The central themes include the formal rules of reported speech, the theory and development of TBLT, strategies for didactic reduction in the classroom, and practical lesson planning.
What is the main objective of the research?
The aim is to move away from traditional "focus on form" teaching by providing a framework that helps learners understand the semantic meaning behind grammatical changes in reported speech through communicative tasks.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author applies the theoretical models of Cognitive Grammar and Willis's Task Cycle to design a specific, pedagogically reduced classroom lesson for secondary students.
What is discussed in the main body?
The main body bridges theory and practice, detailing how linguistic theory is adapted for learners and how a concrete lesson on reported speech can be executed via a celebrity interview scenario.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Task-Based Language Learning, Reported Speech, Cognitive Grammar, Didactic Reduction, and communicative task cycles.
How does the author define a "task" compared to an "exercise"?
The author distinguishes a task as an activity with a communicative purpose and a meaningful outcome, whereas an exercise focuses merely on the correct application of a specific grammatical form without real-world context.
Why are some linguistic concepts omitted in the lesson plan?
Complex concepts such as modal auxiliary changes, conditional sentences, and abstract terms like "surrogate ground" are omitted for the ninth-grade level to prevent confusion and ensure the lesson remains manageable and focused on the core rule of backshifting.
What is the role of the "Language Focus" phase in Willis's cycle?
It allows students to explicitly analyze the linguistic patterns they encountered during the communicative task phase, enabling them to understand the rules underlying the language they have just practiced.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonym (Autor), 2018, Task-Based Teaching of Reported Speech, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1025671
