Relative Clauses and PPP

Neli Kukhaleishvili , Georgia

Neli Kukhaleishvili is Director of Studies of the English Language Centre INT and ETAG (English Teachers’ Association of Georgia) Batumi Head. She is an approved ETAG - British Council trainer, a course designer of the Modern English Language Teaching training course and a designer of the trainer’s notes for Newly- Qualified Teachers’ course. She loves teaching, training teachers and being trained. Her current interests are observation for teacher development and reflective teaching. E-mail: n.kukhaleishvili@yahoo.com

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Introduction
Presentation: explore the topic
Controlled practice: finish the sentences
Less controlled practice: answer the questions
Filler
Types of production
Cooler: Mexican doodles
References

Introduction

I would like to share my experience of teaching relative clauses. The aim is to show how we can practice relative clauses in a creative way moving from presentation to practice and production .

Presentation: explore the topic

My friend Charlie has been madly in love. He told me he had finally met the woman who he had been looking for all his life . He has always been attracted to women who are intelligent and independent. He spends a lot of time looking for the presents which might give her thrills.

1. Tell the students about Charlie. 2. Elicit relative clauses .3. Show them some portraits of men and ask them to choose who might resemble Charlie and why.

Controlled practice: finish the sentences

1. I have always been attracted to people who …
2. I have always been attracted to things which …
3. I have always been looking for people who …

Less controlled practice: answer the questions

1. Students work in pairs or in groups and answer the questions using a relative clause:
   I like people who ….
   I like things that…
2. Students share the information about each other .
   1. What kind of people do you like?
   2. What kind of food do you like?
   3. What kind of leisure activities do you like?
   4. What kind of practice is useful in learning languages?

Filler

1. Tell the students to give definitions for these invented words: a murphler, parahawks. Who or what is a murphler ? What do parahawks do ?
2. Students choose the most believable definition or the most amusing one.

Types of production

1. Here is a list of common American nicknames working with a partner decide what characteristics would be likely for someone whose nickname is one of these: Sugar, Sunny, Tiger, Flower, e.g.We think that someone whose nickname is Sunny …
2. Think of nicknames used in your families – ask other groups to guess
3. In English they often make a dramatic introduction in certain formal situation. A dramatic introduction lists a person’s characteristics and accomplishments and ends with the person’s name, e.g. Ladies and Gentlemen It is my great pleasure to introduce an individual whose sensitivity and compassion for people are well-known . She is the person who is famous for her serious, wide-reaching and all-embracing education. Ladies and gentlemen, I announce the name …
4. Speak about an ideal partner ora person using relative clauses.

Cooler: Mexican doodles

1. Show each doodle.
2. Ask the students to imagine this is Mexican doing something.
3. They guess using a relative clause, e.g. This is Mexican who is catching fish.
4. Show the clip to compare if they have guessed correctly.

References

H.Themlis , Stephen ( 2000) Grammar Dimensions 3a.Heine&Heine .Thomson Learning .

Young, A Robert. O.Struach , Ann ( 1998) Nitty –Gritty Grammar .Cambridge University Press.

Lessonstream.org teachingenglish@britishcouncil.org Jamie Keddie ELTON winner
http://lessonstream.org/2007/11/09/mexican-doodles

Scrivener, Jim (2010) Teaching English Grammar. Macmillan Publishers Limited

Please check the Methodology and Language for Primary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Methodology and Language for Secondary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Creative Methodology for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.