Behaviourist SLA
Learning and Teaching Foreign Languages
Classroom Illustration
PATTERN PRACTICE
Sample answers
1. Time prepositions
http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/time_prepositions_1.htm
Can this exercise be used to practice, or “overlearn” basic patterns in the way
Bloomfield or Lado intended?
No, although the list of answers from which the learner selects form a paradigm in the
sense that they are all prepositions and all used in time expressions, the sentences do
not form patterns like those developed by Lado and Fries (see pattern practice). This
time preposition exercise allows learners to test their knowledge, checking language
patterns already internalised from earlier exposure.
2. Dragon worksheet / La page du dragon
http://bogglesworldesl.com/enrichment/patternpractice.doc
a. What structural pattern is to be learned here?
Quantifiers: all, some, most, none
b. Who are the likely target learners?
Child EFL/ESL learners
c. How might this lesson be exploited in the classroom? Is it an introductory or
reinforcement activity, to be completed alone, in pairs, or as a whole-class group?
This exercise can only be completed by learners who know the body parts to be
substituted in each sentence, as well as the quantifiers which form the focus of the
exercise, so it is likely to be a reinforcement or culminating activity following earlier
practice with the dragon vocabulary. Learners might write the sentences alone or in
pairs, and then the teacher would give feedback to the whole group, perhaps asking
individuals to read aloud to practice the pattern.
d. How does this exercise conform to behaviorist principles?
It is a substitution drill, where the learner changes separate elements of a sentence, in
this case, body parts and quantifiers. The goal is to aid memorisation of the quantifier
paradigm by overlearning.
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Shona WHYTE
unt.unice.fr/uoh/learn_teach_FL
Behaviourist SLA
Learning and Teaching Foreign Languages
Classroom Illustration
3. Are you English?
http://www.spokenenglish.org/talkbr11.html
a. What is the pattern offered for practice here?
The simple present of verb to be in singular and plural, first, second and third person, in
the affirmative, interrogative, and negative forms.
b. Is this a meaningless drill? (hint - scroll down to the bottom of the page)
There is nothing to support the leaner's understanding (picture, dialogue) and no pretext
for practice (real or imagined partner, specific goal). However, other vocabulary items
offered for substitution practice are organised by lexical field (nationalities,
appearances, characteristics).
c. What type of learner might benefit from this type of instruction?
An adult learner with the capacities for abstraction and metacognition necessary to
manipulate the many variables involved in this paradigm (person, number, sentence
type), good vocabulary knowledge to make repetition meaningful, and a preference for
paradigm learning and rote memorisation. For many learners, more context would make
learning more effective and pleasurable.
Look at some other paradigms proposed for practice.
Waiter, there's a fly in my soup. http://www.spokenenglish.org/talkbr22.html
Waiter, fish is usually served hot http://www.spokenenglish.org/talkbr42.html#1
I love Beethoven http://www.spokenenglish.org/talkbr63.html
d. In what way do these activities fit the audiolingual approach?
Dialogue for memorisation, substitution drill, no translation; but no image to help
understanding.
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Shona WHYTE
unt.unice.fr/uoh/learn_teach_FL