ELA100: English, Language and Literacy in Education 1

Weeks 2 and 3: Intro

& The Nature of Language
Language is central to education and is the teachers most powerful tool. The teachers language use can either
promote or hinder their students learning. The teachers language can set the tone of the classroom learning
environment and how students feel about themselves and their learning. Language in classrooms takes place in
social and cultural contexts and is bound up with issues of power between individuals and groups. Therefore,
understanding the power of language is essential for teachers to promote learning and student wellbeing.
This unit begins the journey to evaluate your understanding of language and enhance your understanding of the
nature and function of language and language learning to assist your sound decision-making in the classroom. You
will begin to develop your own theories about language and language learning that informs your teaching.

Unit Overview
This unit introduces you to the kinds of language knowledge you'll need to be an effective
teacher. It has two main elements:
a) a 'big picture' consideration of what language actually is, and how we use verbal and non
verbal, written, spoken and gestural language to communicate in different settings and for
different purposes.
b) a closer examination of the 'mechanics' of verbal language (ie language that uses words),
including grammar, word choice, speech sounds and writing.

Study Plan

Week 2: The nature of language: language in teaching, language for diff purposes/cultures:
dialect and register (tenor, field, mode)
Week 3: The nature of language: review and extension
Week 4: Discourse and Grammar basics: Genre and text cohesion, clauses, parts of speech,
adj/adv phrases, subject
Week 5: Discourse and Grammar basics: review and extension
Week 6: Grammar and vocabulary: Phrases and clauses, simple, compound, complex
sentences
Week 7: Grammar and vocabulary: review and extension
Week 8: Language sounds: Written from spoken language, spelling, punctuation, homographs,
homophones, phonological awareness
Week 9: Language sounds: review and extension
Week 10: Language sounds: Phonological awareness and learning to read (4 resources model)

Assessment Tasks
Assignment 1: 50%: due Weeks 4,6,8,10
a) 4 contributions to workshop discussion
b) 4 multi-choice quizzes (total 80 questions)
Assignment 2: 50%: due Week 10
a) transcribe key elements of video interaction
b) write report analysing elements of interaction and reflecting on own goals

See handouts for more detail

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The Nature of Language

A: Language and Teaching
B: Language for Different Purposes and in Different Cultures
C: Elements of Language Variation: Dialect and Register
Key Vocab
Genre: a category or group of written, spoken or visual text
Dialect: a form of a language peculiar to a specific
region
or social group
Register: a variety of language
used for
a particular purpose or in a particular setting.
Involves
Field: text subject Tenor: relationship between
participants Mode: written/spoken etc.
Verbal language: written, spoken or gestural language that uses words as its
code
Non-verbal language: drawn, spoken or gestural language that doesnt use
words as its code

A: Language and Teaching

Why do teachers need a good knowledge of English language?

Curriculum Documents
This short clip, English: what is it for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZngxWZss6cI, gives a brief
overview of English in teaching and the Australian Curriculum.

Early Years Learning Framework:

Early childhood teachers work within the frameworks of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
http://files.acecqa.gov.au/files/National-Quality-Framework-ResourcesKit/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf.
The EYLF sets out the principles, practice, and outcomes for young children (birth to 5 years). Outcome 5, children
are effective communicators, has particular relevance to language and literacy. Familiarise yourself with this
document.

Australian Curriculum: English:

Familiarise yourself with the Australian curriculum for English. Start at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/, and
after you see what this page is about, put your cursor on Curriculum on the horizontal menu near the top of the
page and then click on English in the table that appears. Have a look at the options on the page that appears, and
then under English click on the tab that says Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum.
This will bring you to a page at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/curriculum/f-10?layout=1. Near the
top of this page click on the boxes to show Level descriptions and Content descriptions.
You can now scan down to see the content schools should cover in years Foundation through 10. There are three
strands that focus on developing students knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing,
speaking and writing. The three strands are:

Language: knowing about the English language;

Literature: understanding, appreciating, responding to, analysing and creating literature; and

Literacy: expanding the repertoire of English usage.

ELA100 attempts to cover everything in the Language strand. It touches on some of the matters covered in the
other two strands as well, but these will be taken much further in later units on English, Language and Literacy in
Education.

Scan down the Language column to get a good idea of the sorts of content it describes: these are things you will
be expected to cover as a teacher.

Discussion:
1: Reflect on your use of language for one day. What types of language have you used? What was the purpose?
2: What uses of language and types of language should you focus on in developing students language?

B: Language for Different Purposes and in Different Cultures

Reading 1: Talking to Learn: note genre of text
Any text (written, visual, oral) fits into a group or genre. This genre lets us know what to expect and what
reading/viewing/listening methods to use . . .
Task: Read the abstract and then skip to page 92.

Week 2 a) Read Talking to Learn through mentoring conversations:

What do you notice about these mentor/PST conversations about using oral language for learning?
How might you have these kinds of conversations with your classroom teacher?

Week 3

b) Read Participant Perspectives p 94-97.

What unlearning do you think you might have to do about teaching?

What weekly routines will you put into place to make links between theory (GOO days) and practice in the
classroom?

Reading 2: from set text Ch 1:

Skim-read this. Which headings/sections seem most useful or

interesting?

Summary:

This chapter provides an overview of the complexity of language. This chapter addresses the different
perspectives of language and learning. The authors discuss the function and form of language; various language codes; and the
connection between language, thinking and learning. Importantly, language is more than oral language, reading and writing.
Rather, we interact with a range of verbal and non-verbal systems to construct and express meaning.
Languagewhether it be English, Chinese, French or Spanishis a system of symbols that is used to communicate meaning.

Language is part of our daily lives where we are required to engage in face-to-face and group interaction as speakers
and listeners and possess literacy skills
Language is used differently in different contexts. For example between doctors and patients, between women and men,
between friends, between student and teacher, and between face-to-face and online communication. Students need to
understand the role of language in different contexts to be able to effectively use language in a range of contexts.
Our use of language can affect students developing sense of identity
Language is changing with new technologies
Language is a complex and abstract phenomenon that encompasses both verbal and non-verbal codes. Non-verbal
language provides cues that assist make meaning, for example facial expressions and body gestures. Language is centred on
meaning making, therefore, language is more than speech and writing.
The components of language occur in unison rather than in isolation
Functional linguistics can be used to examine the power relationships in language. Groups can be promoted or
oppressed through language and text choices.

Week 3 Variations of English: Non-Standard Australian English is not Sub-Standard

Australian English
Reading 3: Summarise the definitions of SAE, Aboriginal English, Creole(s), Aboriginal language(s)
Gorman, Claire and O'Hanlon, Renae. A process-driven approach for identifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners of
English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) [online]. Practically Primary, Vol. 19, No. 3, Oct 2014: 4-6. Availability:

<http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=624400683468147;res=IELHSS> ISSN: 1324-5961.

[cited 18 Dec 15].
What is the language profile of most LACEC students?

Dialect Activity:

Come up with three frequently used verbal communications in a school day: a request, a question, and a
statement.
Write them in Standard Australian English. Now re-write them in the Ltyentye Apurte Aboriginal English
dialect.
What do you notice? What implications are there for teaching English/teaching in English at LACEC?

Week 3 Set text Reading Ch 2: Summary

This chapter outlines the functions of language and how people use language to make and share meaning. Key
points from this chapter include:

Language is purposeful
We use language for a range of purposes and functions. In the classroom language is used for instruction
and to develop emotionally healthy learning environments
Language is used differently in different social situations and cultures
There are a number of functions of language, e.g. instrumental, regulatory, interactions, persona, heuristic,
imaginative, representations, diversionary, authoritative, or perpetuating. Watch this clip on Halliday's
(1975) functions of language theory
Groups have shared meanings and understandings within groups, and differing realities between groups.
How people speak and write often reflects the communities to which they belong. We all use one way of
talking with our friends that is different to how we might talk with our parents, grandparents, employers or
others that are in positions different from our own. Consider how a group of snowboarders engage in and
interact with each other about snowboarding as compared to these same adolescents in a classroom
setting with a teacher discussing their homework (Seely Flint, Kitson, Lowe & Shaw, 2014).
A group of adolescent girls may say you chillin? when speaking with each other yet, they would ask their
grandparents How are you doing?
Semiotics is the study of the construction of signs that are used to convey meaning. In his clip from The Big
Bang Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeefWS8YrDw&list=PLcaVtvHbXtWA6WVSmhPCAcnFkBRcCyXL&index=5. Sheldon receives a lesson in semiotics from Penny (warning sexual
references).
Communication is more than words. It involves words, pictures, diagrams, layout of print and type of print.
They all contribute to meaning.
Logos are symbols. Symbols contain meaning. What is the meaning of these symbols?
Teachers need to respect the different backgrounds and perspectives of their students and their families

How might you read/understand/summarise the summary above???

Genre
A genre is a class or type of writing. Each type has a different purpose. Think about how we write a shopping list.
What is the purpose? Why do we read non-fiction books (find information), or a fiction book (enjoyment)? These
different purposes for reading influence our and children's writing.
Written genre also has various purposes and particular form e.g. to record feelings, describe, inform or advise,
persuade, clarify thinking, make comparisons, command or direct, amuse or entertain. Factual text types include
information reports, procedural texts, explanations, persuasive texts, recounts, and transactional texts. Fictional
text types include fictional narratives, information narratives and poetry. Each genre has particular purposes,
structure and features. This short clip, what are the different genres of writing https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=zZlvX923Aho, outlines some of the purpose for common written genres encountered in the classroom. The
different genres of writing include descriptive, expository, narrative, persuasive, poetry and technical writing, and a
combination of these are usually used any given body of writing.

E.g. Report Genre (you will write a report for assignment 2).

Purpose: to describe and analyse

Text framework: Generalisation, detailed descriptions,

summary

Language features: technical language, simple present

tense, generalised terms

Language and Cultural Differences in Verbal and Non-Verbal

Communication
Communicative Competence
Is not about the correctness of how we speak or write but how effectively we convey what we want to
communicate to others.
We often think what is received is the same as what is sent in our communication . . .

However the reality is more like the image above.

In a bi-cultural situation of course this is particularly complex.

Think about a time when you have interpreted a message differently to the intention, or this has happened
to you . . .

This clip explores cultural diversity and cultural understandings https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=KWuX3oOvepk in early years classrooms in the US.

Discussion:
1: How could differences between the teachers reality and the realities of the students interfere with teaching and
learning?
2: Think about good teachers who helped you to learn something of value. What were the characteristics of their
teaching? They may have used different styles of instruction, but all would have expressed their ideas clearly and
coherently. Much of what they said would have been comprehensible, useful and relevant. They were good
communicators.
3: What factors inhibit effective communication in the classroom?

Examples of non-verbal communication is exemplified in this clip from

Friends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvEci5Bjgd4. Friends is the perfect example of how important these
nonverbal cues can be used in the interpretation of messages.

This is a clip from the popular serial Mr Bean https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=CCl_KxGLgOA&list=PL1413010916969A1D. What understanding do you have of the non-verbal communication?

Week 3 if time Reading 4: from Cultural Differences? Or, are we really that different? Gregorio Billikopf
University of California Electronic document found at
<http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/aglabor/7article/article01.htm> on 11 February 2007.
In 1993, I had my first opportunity to visit Russia as a representative of the University of California. I was there to
provide some technical assistance in the area of agricultural labor management. "Russians are a very polite
people," I had been tutored before my arrival. One of my interpreters, once I was there, explained that a
gentleman will pour the limonad (type of juice) for the ladies and show other courtesies.
Toward the end of my three week trip I was invited by my young Russian host and friend Nicolai Vasilevich and his
lovely wife Yulya out to dinner. At the end of a wonderful meal Yulya asked if I would like a banana. I politely
declined and thanked her, and explained I was most satisfied with the meal. But the whole while my mind was
racing: "What do I do? Do I offer her a banana even though they are as close to her as they are to me? What is the
polite thing to do?"
"Would you like a banana?" I asked Yulya.
"Yes," she smiled, but made no attempt to take any of the three bananas in the fruit basket. "What now?" I thought.
"Which one would you like?" I fumbled.
"That one," she pointed at one of the bananas. So all the while thinking about Russian politeness I picked the
banana Yulya had pointed at and peeled it half way and handed it to her. Smiles in Yulya and Nicolai's faces told me
I had done the right thing. After this experience I spent much time letting the world know that in Russia, the polite
thing is to peel the bananas for the ladies. Sometime during my third trip I was politely disabused of my notion.
"Oh no, Grigorii Davidovich," a Russian graciously corrected me. "In Russia, when a man peels a banana for a lady
it means he has a romantic interest in her." How embarrassed I felt. And here I had been proudly telling everyone
about this tidbit of cultural understanding.
Certain lessons have to be learned the hard way. Some well meaning articles and presentations on cultural
differences have a potential to do more harm than good and may not be as amusing. They present, like my
bananas, too many generalizations or quite a distorted view.
Some often-heard generalizations about the Hispanic culture include: Hispanics need less personal space, make
less eye contact, touch each other more in normal conversation, and are less likely to participate in a meeting.
Generalizations are often dangerous, and especially when accompanied by recommendations such as: move closer
when talking to Hispanics, make more physical contact, don't expect participation, and so on.
Commonality of humankind
Differences between people within any given nation or culture are much greater than differences between groups.
Education, social standing, religion, personality, belief structure, past experience, affection shown in the home, and
a myriad of other factors will affect human behavior and culture.
Sure there are differences in approach as to what is considered polite and appropriate behavior both on and off the
job. In some cultures "yes" means, "I hear you" more than "I agree." Length of pleasantries and greetings before
getting down to business; level of tolerance for being around someone speaking a foreign (not-understood)
language; politeness measured in terms of gallantry or etiquette (e.g., standing up for a woman who approaches a
table, yielding a seat on the bus to an older person, etc.); and manner of expected dress are all examples of
possible cultural differences and traditions.

Cross-cultural and status barriers

Strong eye contact is partially a factor of shyness; partly a measure of how safe a person feels around another. If
those who have written about poor eye contact on the part of Hispanics would walk down a mostly minority
neighborhood at dusk, they may also find themselves looking at the ground and making less eye contact.
Cross-cultural observations can easily be tainted and contaminated by other factors. Perceived status differences
can create barriers between cultures and even within organizations.
For example, in East Africa, a non-Black manager speaks to the Black African accountant and the accountant
makes little eye contact and responds with submissive "Yes, Sirs" regardless of what he hears. When the manager
exits, this same accountant makes plenty of eye contact and is full of ideas and creativity when dealing with those
of his same and different race.
In yet another case, an Anglo-Saxon adult educator finds that Hispanics are apt to listen politely but not ask
questions. He advises others not to expect much participation from Hispanics. A female Hispanic elsewhere
wonders if those Hispanic farm workers she teaches don't participate because she is a woman. The first perceives
that the lack of participation is somewhat inherent in the Hispanic population; the latter assumes her gender is the
cause.
Meanwhile, other Hispanic instructors create so much enthusiasm and active participation from the Hispanic
audiences they work with, that those who walk by wonder what is going--and why participants seem to be having
so much fun. It is not a cultural difference if someone can totally involve a group into a discussion, within minutes,
even when that group has had little experience with a more participatory method in the past.
Conclusions
Stereotyping can have intense negative effects, especially when educators or managers make fewer attempts to
involve those of other cultures because they have been taught not to expect participation! Or do not realize there
may be something wrong when a student or employee of a different ethnicity makes little eye contact with them.
Faye Lee, a concerned Japanese-American wrote: "How anyone can try to make generalizations about an entire
continent of people, plus all the Asian Americans and the infinite permutations of people's differing experiences, is
beyond me."
As we interact with others of different cultures, there is no good substitute for receptiveness to interpersonal
feedback, good observation skills, effective questions, and some horse sense. There is much to be gained by
observing how people of the same culture interact with each other. Don't be afraid to ask questions as most people
respond very positively to inquiries about their culture. Ask a variety of people so you can get a balanced view.
Making a genuine effort to find the positive historical, literary, and cultural contributions of a society; learning a
few polite expressions in another person's language; and showing appreciation for the food and music of another
culture can have especially positive effects.
My contention, then, is not that there are no cultural differences. These differences between cultures and peoples
are real and can add richness (and humor) to the fabric of life. My assertion is that people everywhere have much
in common, such as a need for affiliation and love, participation, and contribution. When the exterior is peeled off,
there are not so many differences after all.

Discussion:

Relate to your experiences with people from other cultures

Reading 5: Engaging linguistically diverse families

Amorsen, Adele. Engaging linguistically diverse families in classroom programs using their home language [online]. Practically
Primary, Vol. 20, No. 1, Feb 2015: 22-23, 31. Availability:
<http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=920273633611444;res=IELHSS> ISSN: 1324-5961.
[cited 18 Dec 15].

Discussion: Which strategies will work best at LACEC? What about in Alice Springs?
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C: Elements of Language Variation: Dialect and Register

Reading set text Ch3: Summary

Culture is the ideas, customs, skills, arts and tools that characterise a given group of people in a given
period of time. Our culture influences our way of thinking and acting. Teachers need to develop an
understanding of the culture of their students. These may be verbal or non-verbal differences.

Racist and sexist language affects the self-concept of the people being discriminated against

The term dialect refers to the broad differences in language that different groups use. There are many
variations in dialect. There is nothing inherent in one dialect that makes it superior to another. This clip
gives a short look at dialect, what it is, and why it matters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=VkYbktrDD4o

The term language difference refers to different social structures generating different systems or language
codes.

Children who have had insufficient opportunity to hear and use language in a supportive environment may
be deficient in their development

Boys and girls resist classroom authority in different ways

Register

describes the speech of an individual that varies according to the situation, in different
contexts and for different purposes. For example, a person will use an informal intimate form of speech at
home and with close friends, whereas, when speaking to an employer, more formal speech is used. The
speech of an individual varies in different social contexts.

Register
Register has three main components - field, tenor, and mode. This short animation explains register types and its
uses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBqZTWGxMvc
Field is essentially what the language is about.
Tenor is basically how the people are interacting through language relate to each other for example formal,
informal, friendly, unfriendly, hostile, angry, authoritative, loving, concerned, polite, rude etc.
Mode is the particular way language is being used in the situation ie whether it is spoken or written. The Australian
National Curriculum breaks these up further into reading and viewing, writing, speaking and listening.

Examples of Register

Example 1: The crow's loud squawks wake me. I open my eyes to look out the window as I take another breath of dewy air and the morning sun
blinds me. Another damn day at school.
I jump in the car and drive five minutes down the track and wait for the bus. In this time I prepare myself for the long excruciating trip ahead
followed by the painful day at school. The bus arrives and I hop on. I dump my bag on the floor and wriggle my bum in between the four other
people already on the back seat and wait for a convo to begin that I'm just slightly interested in. The blinker goes on, the engine roars and we
take off.
Source: A novel or short story (a bit too descriptive for a journal or diary; why would one write some of these things for oneself?)
Mode: Written (well developed language, in full sentences)
Field: Daily life: going to school (obviously in terms of what the text says)

Tenor: Reasonably friendly, semi-formal language (with full sentences and terms like excruciating, but also with therms like damn, bum, and
convo (= conversation)) written for an unknown audience of readers (so it doesnt refer to things known about the reader), but it seems to be
written for people who might be similar to and sympathetic with the writer, who is perhaps a teenager (old enough to drive, whether or not
licensed).
Example 2: Okay, well this is the part of the, um... session where... you know, everybody has a chance to have
their...their... um...you know, their thinking, uh... represented and recorded,... so that we can sort of
progressively... you know, sort of focus in and sort of come up with...
the topics that well pursue in the, uh, following four sessions, so, uh... Jans going to assist me with a, uh, uh...
well, were only going to do the recording of the brainstorm; youre going to be doing the brainstorming, but...
Presumably youve all come for particular reasons, youve got, um, um... Warren, uh... characterised
assessment as a problem, that weve, you know... two known solutions, but Im sure that...
many of us also have some particular problems to do with their,... um...you know,... devising, uh... assessment
tasks that appear to match with
the outcomes were working towards, or that we want our students working towards; um... questions about giving
feedback,... uh...
different modes in which we teach, some of its in... external, mixed mode, internal mode... Im sure things are
going through your mind at the moment, so... at this stage we just want to get those things recorded, in no
particular order,... and then therell be an opportunity for sort of more... focus sort of discussion... um... leadi
coming from that. Is that okay with everyone? So;... Yes? We just go? Any things that occur to you about
assessment of students learning,... which you want to have represented here?
Source: From a workshop held at a university in the 1990s
Mode: Originally spoken, with incomplete sentences and such spoken language features as you know and sort of.
It writing it may seem confused and disorganised, but as spoken it came across as mature and confident spoken
English.
Field: Educational assessment (from various terms used)
Tenor: Friendly, somewhat differential rather than authoritative (softened with such expressions as sort of and you
know suggest speaking to equals - like, Were all colleagues here; Im not going to tell you just what to do). Even
so the language is not entirely informal, with some technical terms like assessment, modes, etc.

Discussion
1.
2.

3.

Do you feel confident about your use of spoken language? When are you most confident? When do you
feel most insecure?
Consider how you would communicate the one idea or message to a peer, older relation, large mixed
audience, minister of religion, child, and celebrity. What would be different? Would you use different
vocabulary, sentence structure and intonation? Would you use different modes of language or different
technologies?
Give an account of a recent incident in which you were involved for example, a car accident. How would
you relate the incident: to a friend over the phone, on face book, in an SMS (text) message, in an email, in
a formal report? What are the differences? How does the language vary with the different medium,
audience, and purpose?

Teaching Oral Language Development

First language development

During their first year children can hardly say anything at all (18-20 words), but by the time they are four or five
they generally have:
2500-5000 words
most of the sounds of the language,
an extensive system of grammar,
and most of the words they need for coping with daily life Even so, we all keep on learning our first languages all our lives. We keep learning:
new words (such as the new words you are learning in ELA100);
new text types (genres), such as how to write an academic paper or a report;
occasional new bits of grammar.

Cambourne's conditions for oral language development

immersion - or exposure to varied vocabulary

10

demonstration - or model

feedback - children need opportunities to be part of a conversation where they can receive feedback

responsibility - children need to be responsible to hold up their end of the conversation and be engaged

approximation - praise all approximations and attempts at using language

expectation - adults have an expectation that children are competent language users and have their own purposes for communicating

engagement

Reading 6: Teaching Mode in relation to Register: this reading gives a good review of the sliding scale of
mode of language from spoken (informal) to written (formal). How might this be used at LACEC
Balzarolo, Kerry. Using mode to explicitly teach about oral language [online]. Practically Primary, Vol. 19, No. 3, Oct 2014: 19-20.
Availability: <http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=625015571519668;res=IELHSS> ISSN:
1324-5961. [cited 18 Dec 15].

Reading 7: Teaching Speaking and Listening: which activities would you use and how?
Dewar, Duncan. Ten things I know about teaching speaking and listening [online]. Practically Primary, Vol. 19, No. 1, Apr 2014: 12.
Availability: <http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=870106414393380;res=IELHSS> ISSN:
1324-5961. [cited 18 Dec 15].

11

Assignment 1: Quiz
Many of the questions in the pop quizzes are multiple choice. This means that the correct answer is always
presented. However, multiple choice tests can be difficult as there are often a number of similar answers.
Therefore, you need to be familiar with unit materials. Take your time to work through each question. The tests are
not timed and you can save your quiz and return to it later. Just because questions appear short and are multiple
choice you may not be able to complete them quickly. Some questions require thought before you know the
answer.
Some strategies that might help:
* make sure you understand the question, check definitions and be clear of particular terms. Check wording, look
for negatives. Identify key words.
* eliminate the obvious incorrect answers.

Assignment 2: Preparation
Each letter heading outlines a key topic. I suggest that while you are immersed in each topic that your write a
short paragraph that can go into your report on oral language. This week, take a look at the template for the
assignment. These are optional headings however. You may use those headings as a start to structure your report.
Consider the content from this week. What is relevant to the video you have selected to conduct your report on?

TEEL is one way to structure paragraphs. TEEL stands for:

Topic sentence (orients the reader to what this paragraph is about)

Explain explain or provide a definition of the term (referenced)

Example from the video this will be a few sentences. Make sure you provide numbering in your transcript so you can directly refer to these in your report.

Link/learnt - perhaps a link to the next section, or back to the purpose of the report, or a reflection of your own language use.

Here is an example of what a paragraph on tenor might be like:

T The tenor in this video is .(polite, formal/informal)

E Black (date, p.x) describes tenor as how the people interacting through language relate to each other.

E There are a number of examples of tenor in the video. For example when the teacher...(see transcript line 56). Students also

L It seems students mirror the tenor displayed by the teacher in their interactions. Link/relevance to Australian National Curriculum and/or provide a reflection of
your own language use.

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