Free English Language Lessons Online!

Free English Language Lessons Online!


Everyday English Language Lessons

   The aim of this article is to supply, or to suggest, to the teachers of adult learners of English to teach their pupils in a reasonably short time, and in a practicable manner, to speak, read, and write the English language.

   The primacy of the need to converse is especially recognized and considered. This need is met by training the students in the correct use of the words, expressions, and sentences that are interwoven with their environments. Instruction begins with object lessons pertaining to objects and interests in the schoolroom, and these are appropriately followed with lessons involving consideration of work place matters, the home, and other conditions and interests in the life of a English language learner. These lessons are all constructed with the main purpose of using them as drills for conversation, the teacher being reminded at every lesson to "use text for conversation." Examples of questions, to be put to the pupils, are given occasionally, illustrating the method of introducing and encouraging conversation covering the texts.

   Also, in accordance with the idea of establishing at the outset an adequate foundation for the proper understanding of and ultimate proficiency in the language, the lessons are built upon the correct use of verb forms and idioms. First, the verbs "be" and "have" are considered (in sentences illustrating their proper use in persons and tenses, and embracing objects and conditions interesting to the pupils). These in turn are followed by regular and irregular verbs in the three simple tenses, special attention being given to the auxiliaries "do" and "did" in the negative and interrogative. Special consideration of the idioms " do " and "did" is essential on account of the fact that these important idioms are not literally translatable into the other languages. For instance, it is the most natural thing in the world for a English language learner say, "Went you?" instead-of "Did you go?" "I went not" for "I did not go," and so on.

   The objection that all these — the verb forms, idioms, etc. — can be taught without specialization, and therefore without bewildering the pupils with too many technicalities, may be met with the reminder that the best way to foster memory retention is to treat objectively, i.e. to specialize. To explain : it is universally known that a person can retain a word or expression in his memory much better and longer by seeing it, or hearing it, in actual use in connection with things of interest than by merely meeting with the word or expression by itself, or by comparing it with a synonym.

   It surely ought to be much less bewildering to the pupil to be made familiar with the verb forms, idioms, and expressions gradually and in a logical, consecutive way than to be fed promiscuously with a mixture of all verb forms, idioms, exceptions, etc., in current colloquial use among those thoroughly conversant with the language.

   Here the reader may again be reminded that the lessons in this book are constructed with a proper regard for the pupils' environments and needs — the sentences all being such as they are most likely to hear daily in the shop, street, and home. The idea, in general, is, of course, to provide a practicable working vocabulary and to show how to use the vocabulary correctly.

   Later in the book, after the pupils have become more proficient in reading and in the correct use of the language forms — that is, when they have reached a stage where they can profitably appreciate more serious reading — they are introduced through simple reading lessons to subjects dealing with educational matters, history, morals, civics, hygiene, and the like.

A vocabulary of about fourteen hundred common words in English, Italian, German, and Russian will be prepared to accompany this Article and will be of much practical assistance to all language learners who are learning to use thier new language in business or adopted country.

Sample Primer Lessons

PRACTICAL LESSONS

LESSON i

THE VOWELS

a, e, i, o, u

(Put short a combinations on the blackboard; have the class pronounce them individually and in concert. Add final e to each combination and drill the class on the changed sound of a.)

ab abe ag age an ane av ave

ac ace* ak ake ap ape ax

ad ade al ale as ase az aze

af afe

 c before t, i and y has the sound of /.

(Drill on the words before beginning with sentences. Treat objectively as far as possible.)

I am a man.

She is a woman.

I see a man.

I see a woman.

I can see a man.

I can see a woman.

The man has a cap. Man Woman

The man has a cap in his hand.

The woman has a hat.

The hat is on her head.

It is a black hat. Cap Hat

I am a tall man.

She is a tall woman.

He is a short man.

She is a short woman.

The man and the woman are tall.

The man and the woman are short.

This is a desk. It is a small desk.

This is a chair.

See the chairs are small.

I can see the wall. The wall is white.

I see a picture on the wall.

Open a

car are far

dark bark yard

I see a car. It is a large car.
We ride in cars.
My home is far from the shop.
It is dark. Hear! the dog barks.
The dog is in the yard.

LESSON s
THE VOWELS

(Use "pen," "desk," "paper," etc., in object lesson.)

I have a pen.

He has a pen.

She has a pen.

I write. I write with a pen.

I write on paper.

I write on paper with a pen.

The paper is on the desk.

The book is on the desk.

Please give me the book.

We read in books.

We write on paper.

We can write on paper with a

We can write on paper with a

I have a p*m and a pencil.

Note. Supplement each lesson with simple questions.

Here is a pen.

I draw with the pen.

I write with the pen. I write on paper.

You have no ink. You write with a pencil.

The teacher writes with chalk.

The teacher writes on the board.

The chalk is white. The walls are white also.

See the clock.

It is a big clock.

It hangs on the wall.

Clocks tell time.

What time is it ?

It is two o'clock.

Here is a box.

There are pens and pencils in the box.

What can you do with the pencil ?
I can write with the pencil.
Take a pen from the box for me.
I can write with a pen.
Put the pen on the desk.
Here is some paper.
Write on the paper.

 Author: Markowitz, Alfred Junius, and Starr, Samuel (1914) ELL
 Edited by Sean Taylor
More to Come!