TEACHING AND EXPLAINING

TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS

 

 

 

How do you introduce new terms and concepts to your students? Are you aware of using any phrases which alert the students to understand that they are about to hear a new term? Does your intonation change in any way? Do you use any other strategies? Do you use the same techniques when teaching through your native language as when you are teaching through English?

 

1. Introducing new terms and concepts

 

Here are some phrases that signal that a new term or concept is being presented. If you use a “signal phrase” strategy when introducing unfamiliar terminology, it might help students to prick up their ears and listen more carefully.

 

SIGNAL PHRASES:

 

  • This is what is known as … (term).
  • These are known as … (term).
  • This is called … (term).
  • When we refer to this (feature / phenomenon / etc.), we talk about … (term).
  • This is generally referred to as … (term).

 

 

New ideas can also be signaled by changing the way you say the new words in question. Here are some ways of warning your students to pay extra careful attention:

 

SIGNALS WITH INTONATION:

 

  • clearer or slower pronunciation
  • high pitch or extra stress on the word
  • lengthening the syllables of the word
  • taking a tiny pause before and after saying the word

 

 

 

2. Strategies for explaining terminology and concepts

 

There are different ways of explaining new ideas to other people. Some ways may be more appropriate in certain contexts or for explaining particular types of ideas. Some individuals, because of their background, experience or learning style, may find some ways of explaining more helpful than others.

 

Terminology and concepts can be explained by giving

 

·        a definition

·        an example

·        a comparison with something familiar

·        a synonym

·        an opposite (antonym)

·        a superordinate (the class of things to which the thing or concept belongs)

·        a (non-verbal) illustration

 

Look at the explanation of the linguistic term “macromarker” given below. Which parts of the explanation helped YOU to understand the term better? Why? How could the explanation be improved?

 

 

MACROMARKERS are phrases (superordinate) in speech or in written texts which signal the direction of the discourse and the relations within it. (definition)

 

You might call them signposts (synonym) in discourse.

 

 

 

 

(illustration)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, in a way, they are road signs (comparison), which tell you what to pay attention to and how to listen or read effectively.

 

You can contrast macromarkers, which show relations between large chunks of speech and writing, with micromarkers (opposite), words like “in addition” or “however”, which show only relations between one sentence and the next.

 

Macromarkers include phrases which are used to mark a topic (Let me start today by reminding you of our previous lesson…), change from one topic to the next (Right, on to the next type of force…) and summarise what has already been said (So, what I’ve been trying to get across is…). (examples)

 

 

3. Potential problems in explaining terms

 

Arden-Close (1993) investigated language problems for Omani chemistry students in lectures given by American lecturers. He reported several types of problems that arose.

 

  • The lecturer defines a concept by using unfamiliar words in the definition. Here, he tries to explain the term “trend”, but the students didn’t know the words “tendency” or “theme”:
    • It turns out that there are two trends in the periodic table that are helpful. A trend is a tendency, OK, or a theme.

 

  • The lecturer uses two different adjectives to qualify a noun, but the students take them as synonymous. Here, the students thought that “old” meant the same as “trivial”, a word they didn’t know:
    • There are quite a number of trivial, old names for alcohols.

 

  • The lecturer uses a cultural-specific reference which the students do not share. Here, he tries to compare chemical bonding to a game of “tug of war”. The students do not know the game:
    • It’s like a game of uh tug of war. Tug of war on a rope. We’ve got more positive pulling less negative.

 

Do you have any examples of explanations of terms in English which did not seem to be successful? Why did the explanations fail? How would you explain the term next time?

 

PRACTICE EXPLANATIONS

 

i) Give a DEFINITION of a sphere.

 

ii) Give EXAMPLES of geometrical shapes.

 

iii) COMPARE a sphere to another familiar concept.

 

iv) Explain “scientific article” in terms of a SYNONYM.

 

v) Explain “brittle” in terms of its OPPOSITE.

 

vi) Explain “brass” by using a SUPERORDINATE to classify it into a certain type of things.

 

vi) Explain what a right angle is by using an ILLUSTRATION.

 

 

 

 

 

Suzy McAnsh, Language Centre, University of Oulu