The Lexical Approach Caltanissetta settembre 2008

2 WORDS OF WISDOM The human mind cannot help but make meaning. The human mind cannot help but make meaning. The teacher's primary responsibility is response-ability. The teacher's primary responsibility is response-ability. You cannot learn what you do not understand. You cannot learn what you do not understand.

3 WORDS OF WISDOM / 2 When students travel, they don 't carry grammar books, they carry dictionaries. When students travel, they don 't carry grammar books, they carry dictionaries. Grammar is what has always made English a school subject. Grammar is what has always made English a school subject. If you want to forget something, put it in a list. If you want to forget something, put it in a list. Our purpose is to help students make maximal sense from minimal resources. Our purpose is to help students make maximal sense from minimal resources.

4 The Lexical Approach 1 Language consists of grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar. Language consists of grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar. The grammar/vocabulary dichotomy is invalid; much language consists of multi- word 'chunks'. The grammar/vocabulary dichotomy is invalid; much language consists of multi- word 'chunks'. A central element of language teaching is raising students' awareness of, and developing their ability to 'chunk' language successfully. A central element of language teaching is raising students' awareness of, and developing their ability to 'chunk' language successfully.

5 The Lexical Approach 2 Although structural patterns are acknowledged as useful, lexical and metaphorical patterning are accorded appropriate status. Although structural patterns are acknowledged as useful, lexical and metaphorical patterning are accorded appropriate status. Collocation is integrated as an organising principle within syllabuses. Collocation is integrated as an organising principle within syllabuses. Evidence from computational linguistics and discourse analysis influence syllabus content and sequence. Evidence from computational linguistics and discourse analysis influence syllabus content and sequence.

6 The Lexical Approach 3 Language is recognised as a personal resource, not an abstract idealisation. Language is recognised as a personal resource, not an abstract idealisation. Successful language is a wider concept than accurate language. Successful language is a wider concept than accurate language. The central metaphor of language is holistic -- an organism; not atomistic -- a machine. The central metaphor of language is holistic -- an organism; not atomistic -- a machine.

7 The Lexical Approach 4 The primacy of speech over writing is recognised; writing is acknowledged as a secondary encodement, with a radically different grammar from that of the spoken language. The primacy of speech over writing is recognised; writing is acknowledged as a secondary encodement, with a radically different grammar from that of the spoken language. It is the co-textual rather than situational elements of context which are of primary importance for language teaching. It is the co-textual rather than situational elements of context which are of primary importance for language teaching.

8 The Lexical Approach 5 Socio-linguistic competence -- communicative power -- precedes and is the basis, not the product, of grammatical competence. Socio-linguistic competence -- communicative power -- precedes and is the basis, not the product, of grammatical competence. Grammar as structure is subordinate to lexis. Grammar as structure is subordinate to lexis. Grammatical error is recognised as intrinsic to the learning process. Grammatical error is recognised as intrinsic to the learning process.

9 The Lexical Approach 6 Grammar as a receptive skill, involving the perception of similarity and difference, is prioritised. Grammar as a receptive skill, involving the perception of similarity and difference, is prioritised. Sub-sentential and supra-sentential grammatical ideas are given greater emphasis, at the expense of earlier concentration on sentence grammar and the verb phrase. Sub-sentential and supra-sentential grammatical ideas are given greater emphasis, at the expense of earlier concentration on sentence grammar and the verb phrase.

10 The Lexical Approach 7 Task and process, rather than exercise and product, are emphasised. Task and process, rather than exercise and product, are emphasised. Receptive skills, particularly listening, are given enhanced status. Receptive skills, particularly listening, are given enhanced status. The Present-Practise-Produce paradigm is rejected, in favour of a paradigm based on the Observe- Hypothesise-Experiment cycle. The Present-Practise-Produce paradigm is rejected, in favour of a paradigm based on the Observe- Hypothesise-Experiment cycle.

11 MAKE OALD 18 in 4 fields + 7 other + idioms + phr OALD 18 in 4 fields + 7 other + idioms + phr CIDE 11 fields + phr CIDE 11 fields + phr COBUILD35 in 6 fields + phr COBUILD35 in 6 fields + phr LDOCE 35 in 14 fields + 9 other + phr (make up: 9) LDOCE 35 in 14 fields + 9 other + phr (make up: 9)

12 UP OALD18 OALD18 CIDE23 CIDE23 COBUILD 33 in 3 fields/entries COBUILD 33 in 3 fields/entries LDOCE46 LDOCE46

13 Le tecniche dellapproccio lessicale Le associazioni forti flauto flauto carattere carattere caffè caffè clima clima ferro ferro dessert dessert

14 Le tecniche dellapproccio lessicale Le associazioni forti mani mani scolare scolare uomo uomo asciutta asciutta dentifricia dentifricia

15 Le tecniche dellapproccio lessicale Le associazioni forti posta posta scuola scuola prova prova pegni pegni medicinali medicinali nebbia nebbia

16 Le tecniche dellapproccio lessicale Le associazioni forti basso basso uscio uscio mistero mistero volta volta parola parola [violino] [violino]

17 Le tecniche dellapproccio lessicale Le associazioni forti libero libero prezzo prezzo settimanale settimanale coperto coperto pulci pulci [ortofrutticolo immobiliare azionario] [ortofrutticolo immobiliare azionario]

18 Le tecniche dellapproccio lessicale Le associazioni forti lago lago sorpresa sorpresa polli polli nozze nozze Antonio Rivolta Antonio Rivolta [capponi] [capponi]

19 Le tecniche dellapproccio lessicale Regione21 Presidente o _________ Agricoltura, istruzione profes- sionale, ecc. ________ oltre 100 PresidenteIstruzione, _________, _________ Comune oltre ____ _________Anagrafe,_________,_________