How to present, practice and evaluate modal verbs

How to present, practice and evaluate modal verbs

A The presentation of meanings and uses of the modal verbs

A teacher does not only have to show to the students what a modal verb means, he/she also has to show them how it is used. Jeremy Harmer points out: What we are suggesting here is that students need to get an idea of how the new language is used by native speakers and the best way of doing this is to present language in context. The context for introducing new language should have a number of characteristics. It should show what the new language means and how it is used, for example. That is why many useful contexts have the new language being used in a written text or dialogue. A good context should be interesting for the students. This doesnt mean that all the subject matter we use for presentation should be wildly funny or inventive all the time. But the students should at least want to see or hear the information. Lastly, a good context will provide the background for a lot of language use so that students can use the information not only for repetition of the model sentences but also for making their own sentences.

Types of context for the presentation of modals

Context means according to Jeremy Harmer the situation or body of information which causes language to be used. There are a number of different contexts, but for our purposes we will concentrate on three: the students world, the outside world and formulated information.

The students world can be a major source of contexts for modal verbs presentation. There are two kinds of students world. A teacher can use the physical surroundings that the students are in- the classroom, school, which are somehow limited and that is why the teacher can use facts connected to students lives: their lives, families, friends and their experiences.

The outside world provides the teacher with reach contexts for presentation. The teacher can use stories and also create situations which are especially useful for the practice of modal verbs. The teacher can ask students to look at examples of the grammar point being taught connected to a modal verb.

The context used for presentation can be simulated or real. Jeremy Harmer suggests: In general we can say that real contexts are better simply because they are real, but they may have complexities of language and comprehensibility which can be avoided by simulated contexts- life-like but clearly made-up to some extent.

Formulated information refers to all that information which is presented in the form of timetables, notes, charts etc. Once again the teacher can use real charts and timetables, growth statistics etc or he/she can design his/her own which will be just right for his/her students.

Jeremy Harmer adds: Finally it is worth pointing out that language can be presented in one context (e.g. a dialogue) but then the context may change for accurate reproduction or immediate creativity.

Examples of contexts used for presentation of the modal verbs:

A For physical ability:

Students are given physical tasks, (touch toes, stand on one leg etc.).

All students are asked to attempt them. Then the teacher identifies who can/cant. The construction can be practised using other tasks.

The class is shown a picture of a person with one leg in plaster for example, and a list of usual habits: He plays football. Is he playing today? No, he cant. He plays the violin. Can he play today? Yes, he can. etc.

B Learned skill

Based on class experiences the teacher can compile a questionnaire: who can speak French? dive? swim?

Set up a narrative (with pictures) in the present simple and continuous: A small boy wants to visit his grandmother. His mother is talking on the phone. He takes the car keys. All right? No, he cant drive. Then the class offers other solutions: He cant ride a bike/horse/ read bus signs etc.

The teacher sets up a game: Whats my secret? Class members identify, or are given an unusual skill. They must mime it. Other members guess: Can you milk a cow? No, I cant. Yes, I can but that isnt my secret.

C Permission

Rosemary Aitken[3] points out that giving permission is best taught as a series of functional lessons on teaching this, using dialogue building and role play. Learners exchange roles in asking, refusing, and begging permission. This may be based on an entertainments page for example. Students ask permission to attend different events. Those refusing may be asked to give reasons, or given grounds for refusing or accepting, or deciding which they will permit.

D Asking for things

This can be taught as part of a series on shopping/restaurants etc.

E Asking for information

Role-play and dialogue on sight-seeing

Questionnaire in the classroom, asking other students about their holiday plans, for example: What can you do in the countryside?

Information gaps (e.g. filling in a map, where each group has different pieces of information). Can you tell me where the tropical forests are?

Quizzes written and run by students: Can you tell me? Will you spell?

F Offering

Arranging a party (real or imaginary): Ill bring the glasses. Shall I bring my tapes?

Offering services in a shop: May I show you this one? Would you like me to bring you another one?

G Invitations

I think it is useful to set up reasons for accepting and declining an invitation: Peter invites Sue to go with him to a party and she accepts. John invites Sue to the cinema but she cant go. What is her reply in each case?

H Threatening

Role-play: complaining about poor goods or services: I shall write to your supervisor. May I offer you a refund? Ill find you another item.

Role-play: A parent getting angry about an untidy room: I shall stop your pocket money if you dont clean your room.

I Expressing determination

This can be introduced in role-play, dialogue or writing exercises. You might not pass the exam. Yes, I will pass.

J Predicting certainty or likelihood

May/might: students are given a list of future possible events and they are asked to write which of them are certain, likely, possible or impossible: will happen/might happen/ may happen etc.

Students are asked to create their own sentences about the future life of some persons shown to them in some photographs or sketches: He wont be a jockey. Other class members compare their predictions.

K Logical deduction about the present

This should be taught as a series, not all at once. Any logical problems can be used.

Must be/ cant be: students are given a logical problem. A list of physical characteristics and three photographs are given to the students. The teacher asks them to deduce the names/ professions/ who is the criminal from the three persons shown in the photos: Jim is taller than the doctor. Jim cant be the doctor. The doctor has red hair. Picture A must be the doctor.

Might be: as above, but where the physical description fits more than one picture. Only by working through all the available information can one deduce identities. I Think this is best with four or five picture: It might be A or it might be C. It cant be B or D.

All modals: giving possible explanations for inexplicable events, for example, selling a haunted house. Peculiar noises are heard. The vendor tries to explain the noises as the purchaser identifies them. A: Theres a whistle B: It must be the kettle. A: It cant be the kettle, it isnt switched on. B: It might be the wind etc. Students can score points for plausible excuses, and for using a range of modals appropriately.

L Obligation and compulsion

Traffic regulations, traffic signs You mustnt exceed the speed limit, you neednt drive at 50 mph, you cant drive at 60 mph, you cant mustnt drive at 70 mph.

Airline regulations and customs controls.

School rules.

Inventing or noting rules for a game or competition.

M Moral responsibility

Comparison of laws and customs in different cultures.

A discussion on family responsibilities, parents responsibilities, moral responsibilities, elicited and listed: They must feed their children, they shouldnt spoil them, and they shouldnt beat them.

General advice:

-Each student is given a problem: You have lost your passport. Other students give him advice and then the first student decide which piece of advice to accept and why.

-Role-play: Citizens Advice Bureau. Students may be given problems to solve.

-Written exercise: Agony aunt or problem page

-Advice to self: making New Year resolutions.

-Advice for enjoyment: role-play, or short spoken reviews based on a film-going:

You must read this. You wouldnt enjoy that. I shouldnt bother with it.

N Insistence on undesirable habits

Complaining about a teenage son/other family members: he will keep coming home late/talking on and on with his friends/ listening to very loud music.

O Habits of youth

Writing lessons on childhood memories (e.g. family reunions, holidays)

Historical information. The students are given the typical timetable of an emperor and the students discuss the written account of his daily activities: The emperor would get up at five oclock.

A general model for introducing a new modal verb

The model has five components: lead-in, elicitation, explanation, accurate reproduction, and immediate creativity.

During the lead-in the context is introduced and the meaning or use of the new modal verb is demonstrated. This is the stage at which students may hear or see some language (including the new modal verb) and during which students may become aware of certain key concepts. The key concepts are those pieces of information about the context that are vital if students are to understand the context and thus the meaning and use of the new language. If the teacher introduces the difference between could and was/were able to using the situation: Gulliver could swim very well so, when his ship sank he was able to swim to the shore it will be necessary for the students to understand that:

-Gulliver could swim in the past and he still can swim at the moment of speaking;

- Gulliver was able to swim to the shore in a certain situation.

During the lead-in stage the teacher can also demonstrate the probable course of an interaction (particularly at more advanced level) and the teacher can also introduce the context and shows the new model in use.

During the elicitation stage the teacher tries to see if the students can produce the new modal verb. If they can it would clearly be wasteful and not motivating for them if a lot of time was spent practising the language that they already know. At the elicitation stage- depending on how well the students can produce the new modal verb- the teacher can decide which of the stages to go next. If the students cant produce the new modal verb at all, for example, the teacher will move to the to the explanation stage. If they can, but with minor mistakes, the teacher can move to the accurate reproduction stage to clear up those problems. If they know the modal verb but they need a little bit more controlled practice in producing it the teacher may move directly to the immediate creativity stage. Elicitation is vitally important for it gives the teacher information upon which to act and it is also motivating for the students and actively involves their learning abilities.

During the explanation stage the teacher shows how the new modal is used (and formed if it is the case). It is here that the teacher may give a listening drill or explain something in Romanian. The teacher can also use the blackboard to demonstrate the grammatical forms of a modal verb for expressing different time reference.

During the accurate reproduction stage students are asked to repeat and practise a certain number of models. The emphasis here will be on the accuracy of what the students say rather than meaning and use. Here the teacher makes sure that the students learn how the new modal verb correctly by getting the grammar right and perfecting their pronunciation as far as it is necessary.

When the students and the teacher are confident that the students can use the new modal correctly they will move to immediate creativity. Here they try to use the modal verb they have just learned to make sentences of their own. It is at this stage that both teacher and students can see if the students have really understood the meaning, uses and form of the new modal verb. If they are able to produce their own sentences connected with the new modal verb the teacher can feel confident that the presentation was a success.

We should notice that if the students perform well during the elicitation the teacher can move straight to immediate creativity. If at that stage they perform badly the teacher may find it necessary to return to a short accurate reproduction stage or, in extreme cases, to re-explaining the new modal verb.

Penny Ur[4] points out that:

1. In general, a good presentation should include both oral and written forms, and both form and meaning.

2. it is important for learners to have plenty of contextualized examples of the structure and to understand them. Visual materials can also contribute to the understanding.

3. The answer to this will depend on your situation and learners. On the whole, older and more analytically-minded learners will benefit more from the use of materials.

1 Explaining techniques

I shall present now two procedures I use for explaining the form of the new modal verb I teach at the third form students- beginners. In both cases my intention is to demonstrate to the students what the grammar form of the modal verb is.

a) Explaining statements

In this case I intend to explain the first model based on some cards used in exercise 6, page 46, Set Sail! Textbook, ed. Express Publishing. On the first card showing the picture of a mouse it is written: long tail, four legs, crawl, run. After showing the card to the students I follow the procedure:

Stage 1) I say the model sentence in a normal way in a clear voice using correct stress and intonation:

A mouse has got a long tail and four legs. It can run but it cant crawl.

I say the model twice for a better understanding of the model sentence.

Stage 2) I isolate a particular feature of the model (the verb can in the negative in this case)

Stage 3) I distort this feature showing how it is constructed. I use two cards with the words can and not on them and I say the model using can not (A mouse has got a long tail and four legs. It can run but it can not crawl.) Then I join the cards and write the contracted form cant on the board (can not=cant). After that I repeat the model using the contracted form (A mouse can run but it cant crawl).

Stage 4) I return to the isolated element. I write the model on the board and using colored chalk I highlight the verb can in the affirmative and in the negative like this:

A mouse has got a long tail and four legs. It can run but it cant crawl.

Then, I ask the students to copy the model in their notebooks.

Stage 4) As soon as the students finish copying the model I say the normal modal again.

b) Explaining question forms

I noticed that when I taught a question form of a modal verb after its affirmative version had been the subject of practice, some extra techniques were useful to make the students understand the form of the question better because unlike many languages English uses inversion to signal a question. Thus if we take an affirmative sentence as A rabbit can run. we find that the equivalent question form has the subject and the modal verb in a different order, e.g. Can a rabbit run? Even when we put a question word (such as how, when, etc.) at the beginning of the question this inversion is still used. I have noticed that students learning English frequently find this confusing.

When introducing a question I usually follow the same procedure as for a) above. I usually use the blackboard and/or gestures to make the inversion clear for the students. In order to explain the question model Can a rabbit run? I write the affirmative sentence on the blackboard and then, using coloured chalk or underlining I point out the interrogative:

e.g. A rabbit can run.

Can a rabbit run?

After that I say:

ListenCan a rabbit run? Can a rabbit run? listen.a rabbit can run? No (I shake my head and I cross my arms in an inversion gesture)Can a rabbit run?

Jeremy Harmer points out that: the importance of visual demonstration for grammar can not be exaggerated. Many students react far better to written stimuli, and in the examples we have shown the teachers use of the blackboard (to highlight important features) helps students to understand the new point being taught. Once the teacher has gone through an explanation phase he or she will then move to accurate reproduction.

c) Using hands and gestures

I usually use my hands and various gestures to make grammatical forms I teach clearer. I often use my fingers to show how a full grammatical form is contracted in speech. I use each of my fingers to represent a word from the sentence A mouse can not fly and as I say the words I point to the fingers of my hand which represent those words. To demonstrate the form cant I join the fingers representing the words can and not and then, with those fingers joined I say the model sentence A rabbit cant fly.

I can also use my hands to explain contracted forms. I pretend to hold the verb can in one hand and the word not in the other. By bringing my hands together I show how cant is formed.

I also use my arms for choral repetition to show intonation patterns (rising and falling) and also stress pattern.

2 Accurate reproduction techniques

As accurate reproduction techniques I use choral repetition, individual reproduction and cue-response drills.

a)     Choral reproduction

When I have explained a model as above, I ask the whole class to repeat the model together as choral repetition. Thus all the students have a chance to say the new modal verb immediately while I control the speed and the stress. Choral repetition gives the students confidence (where immediate creativity might cause anxiety) and it gives me a general idea of whether the students have grasped the model.

Jeremy Harmer[6] points out: There are three things to remember about choral repetition:

1 Clearly indicate (by conducting) when the students should start the chorus.

2 Clearly indicate the correct stress during the chorus.

3 Stay silent during the chorus so that you can hear how well the students are performing.

For the model sentence pointed out above A mouse can run but it cant fly the chorus can go like this:

T :( finishing the explanation: A mouse can run but it cant fly A mouse can run but it cant runeverybody. (T makes a gesture)

SS: A mouse can run but it cant fly.

T: Again. (gesture)

SS: A mouse can run but it cant fly.

Usually I decide how many choruses are needed in a class depending on the difficulty of the model, the level of the students, etc.

I can also use choral repetition during correction.

b) Individual repetition

I conduct the individual repetition in three stages: I nominate a student, the student responds and after that I give feedback (acknowledge or show incorrectness).

Using the model sentence written above the individual repetition can go like this:

T: (finishing choral repetition) Again.

SS: A mouse can run but it cant fly.

T: Good.now Andrew

S1: A mouse can run but it cant fly.

T: Good.Mary

S2: A mouse can run but it cant fly.

T: O.K..George

S3: A mouse can run but it can fly.

T: A mouse can run but it can...

S3: Oh A mouse can run but it cant fly.

When I conduct individual repetition I use a random order of the students to keep the level of interest high because thus I can nominate any student at any minute.

c)      Cue-response drill

I use a cue-response drill when the students are working with more than one model. When I have presented the first model and organised choral and individual repetition I will elicit the second model. If the students can produce the model I might go straight to choral and individual repetition. If they can not I may go through an explanation stage again. When there has been adequate repetition of the second model we start a cue-response drill in which I ask students to choose one of the two models based on a cue.

For example, I conduct a cue-response drill in three stages:

Stage 1: Instruct: I tell the students what I want them to do e.g. using the second card from exercise 6, page 46 textbook Set Sail! Third form stated above I ask the students to look at the card.

Stage 2: Cue: I point to the card and I ask the students what they can tell about the bird drawn on the card.

Stage 3: Nominate: I select a student to give the response.

e.g.

T: (conducting individual repetition) George.

S1: A mouse has got a long tail and four legs. It can run but it cant crawl.

T: Goodnow can anyone tell me about the bird.

S2: A bird has a small body and short legs. It can fly but it cant dance.

T: Very well Andy

S3: A bird has a small body and short legs. It can fly but it cant dance.

(The teacher continues to conduct individual repetition)

When I am confident that the students can manage the cue-response drill and when all the four models have been introduced, the students can be put in pairs so that as many students as possible get a chance to practise. One student can act as the teacher, giving the cue, and the other can give the response.

I usually make sure that this pairwork stage does not last too long, for if it does the students will probably lose interest. Connected to this, Jeremy Harmer points out: In general it must be emphasised that the accurate reproduction stage should be dealt as quickly as possible. If it goes on for too long the students start to get bored and start making more and more mistakes; the drill is then completely counter-productive. The length of time will depend largely on the size of the class and the difficulty and the numbers of models, but it is rarely advisable to continue the accurate reproduction stage for more than ten minutes, and even that will often be excessive. After all, the accurate reproduction stage is only there to enable students to get to more creative parts of the lesson.

3 Checking meaning techniques

Checking meaning can be done in three ways: information checking, immediate creativity and translation.

a)     Information checking

I think that a teacher needs to find out if his/her students have understood the modal verb presented in the lead-in, or whether students understand what a model means. I think a quick and good way of checking is say sentences which are incorrect, e.g. A mouse can fly but it cant run. If they understood, the students will then correct the error. Another way is to ask the students to write their own models, and then when a student is asked to read them the other students say whether they are true or false.

b) Immediate creativity

This stage is a good indicator of whether or not the students have understood the meaning and use of the new modal being taught. I can ask the students to produce sentences of their own even before I get to this stage on order to check that they have understood the new modal.

A good way of checking the understanding of the meaning is to ask the students something using the new language which is not part of the context that is being used for the presentation. Thus, for example, if I introduce can or cant using different pictures of animals and telling what they can or cant do, at some point after saying A wolf can run, but it cant dance I ask a student: Mary, can you run? Unless Mary has her leg in plaster she should answer Yes to this question. If she does I am confident that she has understood the meaning of can that is being introduced.

c) Translation

Translation is a quick and efficient way of checking understanding. There is, however a disadvantage: it is not always possible to translate exactly. Still it is very useful in confusing examples for the students. For example must in You must brush your teeth every morning is translated differently (a trebui) than in the sentence It must rain today (probabil)

4 Discovery techniques

Discovery techniques aim to give students a chance to take charge earlier. The idea is simple: the teacher should give students a listening or reading text- or some examples of English sentences- and ask them how the language works.

For example, when introducing the verb can to a third class good students-beginners I can play a tape with a poem on it and ask the students to write down any sentence which has can in it. The poem is the following:

What can crawl?

A spider can.

What can fly?

A bird can.

What can jump?

A rabbit can.

What can swim?

A sea horse can.

What can walk?

A tortoise can!

What can talk?

A parrot can!

Then I ask them if they can formulate their own sentences using the pattern they discovered while doing the task. In this way I get the students to do most of the work .Thus they will be more involved and they will use their reasoning process.

5 Examples of activities for introducing the modal verbs:

a) Fill-in exercise

I often use writing as reinforcement for an oral presentation, immediately before or after the immediate creativity stage asking the students to write sentences or to fill-in the missing words in some sentences using the new language. For example, after I play the tape with the poem written above and the students repeat it chorally and then individually, I put up a poster with some words missing from the poem. I ask some students to come to the poster and fill-in the missing words. If they make mistakes the other students are to correct or help them. The poster will look like this:

What can crawl?

A . can.

What can fly?

A . can.

What can jump?

A . can.

What can swim?

A .. can.

What can walk?

A .can!

What can talk?

A can!

The students fill-in, if they have understood the lesson with the words: spider, bird, rabbit, sea horse, tortoise and parrot.

b)      Parallel writing exercise

Starting from the poster mentioned above the students are asked to write a similar poem of their own. This is a written version of the immediate creativity stage. If the students asked to write their own poem are a little slow I may give them six names of animals to use in the poem: snake, dragon, kangaroo, whale, monkey, parrot.

To correct the poem I try to involve as many students as possible. I ask the first student to finish to come to the board and write the first two lines. The second student writes the third and the fourth lines and so on. When all the lines are on the board we go through them one by one, asking the class if they are correct. If they are not I can ask another student to write the correct line or I can correct it myself.

This technique is particularly useful since it gives the students feedback and allows the focusing on the verb can which is being introduced.

c)       Discovery or problem-solving task

This activity is called Can or will be able to?. Students have read a text in which the new language occurs and they have done comprehension work on the text. They now look at the grammar issue which arises in the text. The students are asked to work in pairs before checking with the class. The focus is entirely on the meaning and grammar of the language.

1 Study the examples

Why is it necessary to use will be able to rather than can in two of them?

1 My eyesight is very poor at the moment, but the doctors tell me after the operation Ill be able to see almost perfectly.

2 Im very busy today but perhaps I can see you tomorrow.

3 This article says that some day soon well be able to cure almost all forms of cancer.

4 Youre young and healthy and you can find a job if you really want to! You really can!

Which two are examples of:

a)     something that hasnt happened but which the speaker can already do?

b)     an ability purely in the future something that needs something else to happen first, such as a new discovery or something else?

After doing this first part of the exercise in pairs I ask the students for their conclusions before letting them to do exercise 2. If necessary I can spend some time on an explanation stage and even conduct an accurate reproduction stage using can and will be able to.

2 See if you can decide

In which of these sentences is it possible to use can? In which is it necessary to use will be able to? Why?

1 He lost a leg in the accident. But with a new artificial one, he   walk again.

2 After a few more lessons, I think you   sky very well.

3 I dont really feel like going to the cinema this evening but we   go tomorrow instead.

4 Im hard-of-hearing but if I get a deaf-aid I   hear everything people say.

After the students solve this part of the exercise still in pairs, I conduct correction with the whole class.

d) The students world

Based on exercise 3 page 68 from Splash 4^th grade, Longman Publishing House, the students are introduced the verb must in a very interesting way. First I ask them to look at the pictures of the exercise which show some warning signs (the signs for silence, do not smoke, do not touch and the no entry signs). After that they are to listen and repeat the names of these warning signs after the tape. Then the students are put in pairs to answer the question: Where do you see these signs? .Some students are to report to the class. Next I write the message of the first sign on the board:

Silence=Do not make noise here.

Other students are to came to the board and write the messages for the other signs. As an extension of this exercise I can ask the students to answer the questions:What other signs do you know? Can you draw them and explain what they mean?

e) A situation used for a modal verb presentation

In this example I try to show how the verb should is presented in a certain situation .This activity is called Advice and it starts from exercise 2, page 78, English Scrapbook textbook, Oxford University Press, 7^th grade. It teaches students how to ask and give advice. It employs a combination of straight presentation and an element of discovery-like problem solving which is appropriate for the students level (intermediate).

First, the students are asked to read two problem letters from a magazine and to answer three comprehension-check questions (What has each teenager written about? Who do you think the letters are to? What does s/he write instead of her/his name at the end of the letter? Why?). After that the students are put in pairs to write their advice for each child. In order to help the students I write a model on the blackboard:

E.g. Worried should talk to his grandparents.

Some pairs are to report to the class and if they have mistakes, the other students are to correct them.

Then I organise a role-play. A student is to write a problem letter and another one is to answer it. Thus, students will have a lot of fun and will learn to give advice very quickly.

f) Formulated information activity

This activity has the information used for presentation and practice formulated as a chart. I think the advantage of charts and tables is that they have potential for a much greater quantity of information than a picture or a dialogue. The activity stars from exercise 4 page 69, Splash textbook, Longman, 4^th grade.

The chart used for this exercise has the advantage of introducing a natural use of the past form of the verb can (presented here for the first time) but suffers from not showing that grammar point being used in a context easy to be comprehended by beginners. The students are asked to look at a chart and then, in pairs, read and find which dog starred in the film. After their answers are reported to the class and corrected if this is necessary. Next I write the model on the board:

When Spark was two he couldnt swim.

When Spark was two he could dive.

To facilitate understanding I highlight the past forms on the board. Next I ask a student to fill-in the model:

When Bilbo was two he could ..

When Bilbo was two he couldnt .

Then I elicit the other model from the students which they will write on the board.

For an immediate creativity stage the students are asked to write 5 examples of what they could do/could not do when they were five.

g) A Story used for teaching criticism and regret about past situations

The story is called It shouldnt have happened from English Scrapbook textbook, Oxford University Press, 7^th grade. First I write the word Titanic on the board and conduct a discussion about what the students know about this famous ship. Next I put them in groups of four to write four questions connected to what they would like to know about it. One of the students in each group read the questions to the class. Then the students read the text to find the answers to their questions. After that I ask the students to answer the following comprehension-check questions:

What was the cause of the sinking of the ship?

What were the names of the two ships that were nearby when the tragedy happened and what was their role in the tragedy?

How many people survived?

Then I ask the students to read again in pairs and to underline the sentences which express criticism. I also write an example on the board:

A tragedy like this should never have happened.

Then I check their answers and then ask them to write the underlined sentences on the board.

As an immediate creativity stage the students are asked to comment on what went wrong on the Titanic using should have and shouldnt have. Their will write their comments as writing practice.