Date post: | 18-Oct-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | ignasius-sagita |
View: | 42 times |
Download: | 0 times |
of 17
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 1
1. WHAT SORT OF LANGUAGE LEARNER ARE YOU?
2. MY LANGUAGE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
3. EXTENDING VOCABULARY AND USING A DICTIONARY
4. USING CONTEXT CLUES
5. VOCABULARY BUILDING & WORD FORMATION
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 2
Tick () your answers to the questions.
Usually Sometimes
(Almost)
never
Dont know
1. Did/do you get good result in grammar tests?
2. Do you have have a good memory for new words?
3. Do you hate making mistakes? 4. In class, do you get irritated if mistakes
are not corrected?
5. Is your pronunciation better when you read aloud than when you have a
conversation?
6. Do you wish you had more time to think before speaking?
7. Did/do you enjoy being in a class? 8. Do you find it difficult to pick up more
than two or three words of a new
language when you are on holiday
abroad?
9. Do you like to learn new grammar rules, words, etc., by heart?
How to calculate your score:
Score: 3 points for each Usually
2 points for each Sometimes
1 points for each Almost never or never
0 points for each Dont know Total Score
Now match your score with the appropriate comments on the next page and read them carefully.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 3
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 4
Now reflect on your own past experiences in learning
English. Here are some questions for you to consider:
1. How long have you been learning English? 2. How did you learn it? Did you take English
lessons? Did you have a pen friend?
3. Is there anything/anyone that helped you in learning English?
4. Why do you think this was helpful? 5. Is there anything that made it difficult for you
to learn English? If yes, what and why?
6. Were you able to overcome this difficulty? If so, what did you do?
Share your experience and ideas with your friends in the group.
A. Ask and answer the following questions:
1. Do you think you are good at learning languages? Why or why not? 2. What do you think is the best way to learn a new language? Why? 3. What kinds of activities do you think should be included in your
course? Why?
B. Discuss your ideas with the rest of your class. Then read the following article about how to be a successful language learner.
A Profile of the Successful Language Learner
Some people seem to have a knack for learning languages. They can pick up new vocabulary, master rules or grammar, and learn to write in the new language more quickly than others. They do
not seem to be any more intelligent than others, so what makes language learning so much easier for
them? Perhaps if we take a close look at these successful language learners we may discover a few of
the techniques which make language learning easier for them.
First of all, successful language learners are independent learners. They do not depend on the
book or the teacher; they discover their own way to learn the language. Instead of waiting for the
teacher to explain, they try to find the patterns and the rules for themselves. They are good guessers
who look for clues and form their own conclusions. When they guess wrong, they guess again. They
try to learn from their mistakes.
Successful language learning is active learning. Therefore, successful learners do not wait for a
chance to use the language: the look for such a chance. They find people who speak the language and
they ask these people to correct them when they make mistake. They will try anything to
communicate. They are not afraid to repeat what they hear or to say strange things; they are willing
to make mistakes and try again. When communication is difficult, they can accept information that is
inexact or incomplete. It is more important for them to learn to think in the language than to know
the meaning of every word.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 5
Finally, successful language learners are learners with a purpose. They want to learn the
language because they are interested in the language and the people who speak it. It is necessary for
them to learn the language in order to communicate with these people and to learn from them. They
find it easy to practice using the language regularly because they want to learn with it.
What kind of language learner are you? If you are a successful language learner, you have
probably been learning independently, actively, and purposefully. On the other hand, if your
language learning has been less than successful, you might do well to try some of the techniques
above.
C. Home assignment: Write a one-page (approximately 250 words) summary of your experience of learning English (your strengths and weaknesses), your expectations of the course and your plans for
improving your English.
EXTENDING VOCABULARY AND USING A DICTIONARY
I. Extending Vocabulary How do you feel about learning vocabulary?
Brigette and Adel have different feelings about learning English vocabulary.
Brigette, Switzerland:
I really like learning new words. I think its so important if you want to express yourself well.
Adel, Algeria:
I dont think its necessary to learn lots of new words. I can always get round it somehow if I dont know the exact word.
1. What are the positive and negative aspects of these two opinions about vocabulary learning? 2. How do you feel about learning English vocabulary? 3. Find out what other people in your group feel.
What do you know about English vocabulary?
Knowing a word
What do you think knowing a word means? Look at the following list:
i. to understand it when it is written and/or spoken ii. to recall it when you need it
iii. to use it with the correct meaning iv. to use it in a grammatically correct way v. to pronounce it correctly
vi. to use it in the right situation vii. to know if it has positive or negative associations
These points may not all be equally important to you for knowing a particular word or phrase. Their importance may depend on whether you need to recognize a word passively or whether you want to use it
actively.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 6
How do you prefer to learn vocabulary?
1. Personal strategies
We interviewed some students to find out what strategies they use for learning new words.
Luis, Portugal:
I have to see the word written down. If you just say it I cant remember it.
Anne, Belgium:
I think I remember words best by listening and then repeating them aloud.
Andre, France:
I think its a good idea to learn vocabulary by topic, for example, types of furniture, parts of the car, because if I think back, some of them remind me of others.
2. Some strategies to learn new words
a. Grouping words
Research has shown that people often remember words in groups which have something in common.
They way we group the words is always very personal.
Common features
i. Here are some words which have been sorted into groups. Can you see what each group has in
common?
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
shoe shop shout
shine sheep
biology psychology
geology sociology
run jump hop
sprint jog
ii. Sort the following words into groups. When you have finished, find out if another learner has the same answer like you:
blackberry, banana, kitchen, walnut, hazelnut, wok, knife, gooseberry, raspberry, chestnut,
saucepan, tomato, pear, peach, plate, strawberry.
Word network
Grouping word according to their meanings can be useful way to remember them. Here is an example of one
way of one way of doing this.
(1) Choose a topic, for example politics. Write it in the middle of a blank sheet of paper.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 7
(2) What is the first word that comes into your mind which is connected in some way with it? Write the
word anywhere you like on the paper and join it to the first word.
(3) Continue in this way, adding new words as you think of them.
Each word network you create is unique because you have thought of the words, and made the connections.
Your word network can be as large as you like.
If you decide to try this strategy, test yourself later on and you will probably be amazed at how many new
words you can remember.
b. Making associations
Word bag
Research has also shown that people remember words by making associations in their minds. For this
activity you will need a large plastic carrier bag and some small pieces of card.
(1) When you meet a new word that you want to learn, write it, or cut it out and stick it, on a piece of card.
(2) Look at the word and try to recall the whole sentence and its meaning. Make up pictures/associations in your mind to help you remember it. Be imaginative!
(3) Put the word in your word bag. (4) Later, take out a card. Look at the word on the card and try to recall its meaning. You will probably
find that your picture/association will help you.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 8
3. Your own strategy
The dictionary is a source of many kinds of information about words. Look at this sample entry carefully;
notice how much information the dictionary presents under the word prefix.
Your dictionary may use a different system of abbreviations or different pronunciation symbols. It is
important for you to become familiar with your English dictionary and with the symbols that it uses. Look up
prefix in your dictionary, and compare the entry to the sample entry. Discuss the differences that you find.
Exercise 1
Use the sample entry above and your own dictionary to discuss this exercise.
1. When a dictionary gives more than one spelling or pronunciation of a word, is the first one always
preferred?
2. Look at the same entry. How many syllables are in prefix? What symbol does this dictionary use
to separate the syllables? Which syllable is accented in the preferred pronunciation of the verb
prefix?
3. Why would you need to know where a word is divided into syllables?
4. What are derived words?
5. Dictionary entries sometimes include usage labels such as archaic, obsolete, slang, colloquial,
poetic, regional, and informal. Why are these labels useful?
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 9
Exercise 2
In this exercise you will have to read a page of a dictionary on page 10. Read each question, find the answer
as quickly as possible, then write it in the space provided. These questions will introduce you to several kinds
of information to be found in a dictionary.
1. Would you find the word glory on the page? ____________________________________________
2. How many syllables are there in glossolalia? ___________________________________________
3. Which syllable is stressed in the word glutarnic?
4. What are the key words that tell you how to pronounce the o in the preferred pronunciation of
glycerol? ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the preferred spelling of the plural of glottis? _____________________________________
6. What is the past tense of to glue? _____________________________________________________
7. What is the adverb derived from glower? ______________________________________________
8. What word must you look up to find glossographer? ______________________________________
9. For whom was gloxinia named? ______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
10. From what two languages has glucose developed? _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
11. Is the intransitive verb gloze commonly used today? ______________________________________
12. How many synonyms are listed for the word glum? Why are these words defined here? __________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
13. When was Christoph Willibald Gluck born? ____________________________________________
14. What is the population of Gloucester, Massachusetts? ____________________________________
15. List the different kinds of information you can find in a dictionary. __________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 10
From The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin).
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 11
USING CONTEXT CLUES
What do you usually do when you come to a word that you do not know in your reading? Do you
a. look it up in the dictionary? b. ask your teacher? c. ask another student or a friend? d. Try to guess what it means?
If you answered a, b, or c, then you are not reading as effectively and efficiently as you could be. In fact, the
best strategy for dealing with an unknown word is to try to guess what it means. This strategy
is fast because you dont interrupt your reading.
helps your comprehension because you stay focused on the general sense of what you are reading.
helps build vocabulary because you are more likely to remember the words.
allows you to enjoy your reading more because you dont have to stop often.
Context clues exercises are designed to help you improve your ability to guess the meaning of unfamiliar
words by using context clues. (Context refers to the sentence and paragraph in which a word occurs.) In
using the context to decide the meaning of a word, you have to use your knowledge of grammar and your
understanding of the authors ideas. Although there is no formula that you can memorize to improve your ability to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words, you should keep the following points in mind:
1. Use the meanings of the other words in the sentence (or paragraph) and the meaning of the sentence as a whole to reduce the number of possible meanings.
2. Use grammar and punctuation clues that point to the relationships among the various parts of the sentence.
3. Be content with a general idea about the unfamiliar word; the exact definition or synonym is not always necessary.
4. Learn to recognize situations in which it is not necessary to know the meaning of the word.
Example: Do you know what misogynist means? If not, try to make a guess:
A misogynist is _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 12
Now read these sentences. Try again to guess what misogynist means.
a. She realized that her boss was a misogynist soon after she started working for him.
b. It is difficult for a woman to work for a misogynist. She is never sure of the reason for his criticism.
c. She knew that no woman would ever get a top-level job in a company owned by a misogynist.
We know from sentence a that a misogynist is a man. From sentence b we learn that a misogynist criticizes
womens work. Then from c we understand that a misogynist has negative feelings about women.
Exercise 1
In each of the following items, there is a word you may not know. Guess the meaning of the word from the
context of the sentences. Than compare your work with another student.
1. What does ravenous mean?
_____________________________________________________________________
Could I have a piece of bread? I missed breakfast and Im simply ravenous. The poor horse was ravenous and it ate the leaves and bark off the trees.
2. What does gaudy mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
She was wearing such gaudy clothes that it was easy to find her in the crowd. My mother always said that old ladies shouldnt wear bright colors. She thought that they would
look gaudy and foolish.
3. What does dike mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
After so much rain, the river flowed over the dike and into the fields. People in this area began building dikes many centuries ago. It was the only way to keep the sea out
of their villages.
4. What does sallow mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
The poor child had sallow skin and very thin, bony arms and legs. You could tell from his sallow complexion that he had lived in an unhealthy climate for many years.
5. What does shred mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
He read the letter carefully and then tore it to shreds.
Sammy was a real mess when he came home; his clothes were in shreds and he was covered with mud.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 13
6. What does mold mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
The liquid plastic was poured into a mold and left there until it was hard.
The dentist first makes a mold of his patients teeth. From that he makes a model of the teeth to decide how to correct any problems.
7. What does eaves mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
Some birds had built a nest high up on the eaves of our house.
Houses in the mountains have wide eaves so the snow will not pile up against the windows.
8. What does porch mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
On nice days, old Mrs. Willows always sat out on her porch and watch the people pass by.
From the second floor porch, there was a wonderful view of the ocean.
9. What does imp mean?
____________________________________________________________________________
What an imp he was! Little Tommy was always getting into trouble, but making us laugh about it.
With her pointed little chin, bright eyes and impish expression, we didnt know whether to believe the child.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 14
Exercise 2
Guess the meaning of the word in italics using the context of the sentences.
1. Labor union leaders have been bitter foes of job specialization and scientific management, yet they complain that job enrichment programs are management ploys to get more work out of employees
for less money.
foe _________________________________________________________________________
ploy ________________________________________________________________________
2. Self-monitoring includes designing artificial feedback where natural feedback does not occur. Production staff might have gauges on computer feedback system installed so they can see how
many errors are made on the production line.
gauge ______________________________________________________________________
3. One persons consumption of the security provided by our national defense system doesnt decrease the security of someone elsedefense is nonrival.
nonrival ____________________________________________________________________
4. Creativity flourishes when employees are given freedom deciding how to accomplish tasks and solve problems.
flourish _____________________________________________________________________
accomplish __________________________________________________________________
5. Employees may have reward power by extolling praise and extending personal benefits within their discretion to other co-workers.
extol _______________________________________________________________________
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 15
VOCABULARY BUILDING WORD FORMATION
Learning the use and meaning of words in English can be made easier, and even enjoyable, if you understand
something about one way in which many English words are formed, which is called word formation.
The stem of a word is its basic form, the fundamental element which is common to all the other forms of the
word.
A prefix is a form which is fixed to the beginning of a stem.
A suffix is a form which is fixed to the end of a stem.
For example:
stem = measure suffix = measureable
prefix = immeasureable
A prefix usually changes the meaning of a word, while a suffix usually changes its part of speech. For
example, the suffix able changes verbs into adjectives (breakable, enjoyable). The prefix im- changes the meaning to the opposite: measureable means capable of being measured; immesureable meansnot capable of being measured.
Notice the numerous words formed on the stem
Prefix + act act + suffix Prefix + act + suffix
react action reaction
enact active enactment
reenact actively reenactment
interact actionless reactor
transact actable reactive
activity reactivate
activation reactivation
actor interaction
actress transaction
inactive
inaction
By learning only a few prefixes and suffixes, you will be able to recognize or guess the meaning of hundreds
of English words.
Prefixes and suffixes
In the list below are some of the most common prefixes and suffixes. The meaning is given as an area of
meaning, because most often there is no single specific meaning. Find example of words that use the prefix.
Your dictionary will provide examples. Choose those which are familiar or potentially useful to you.
prefix / suffix Area of meaning Examples
anti against, opposite
act
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 16
prefix / suffix Area of meaning Examples
auto self
inter between, among
mis wrong, unfavourable
re again
able / ible capable of being
ation / tion condition, or the act of
dom state, condition, dignity, office
er / or the one who
less without, loose from.
Changing parts of speech
As mentioned above, a suffix usually changes its part of speech. List some examples of suffixes that can
change:
1. verbs into nouns: __________________________________________________________
2. adjectives into nouns: ______________________________________________________
3. nouns into adjectives: ______________________________________________________
4. verbs into adjectives: _______________________________________________________
5. adjectives into adverbs: _____________________________________________________
6. nouns and adjectives into verbs: ______________________________________________
Word stems
Prefixes and suffixes are added to word stems. Sometimes a word stem can be used by itself, such as the
word act or form. Most often a word stem can be used only in combination with a prefix or a suffix. For
example, the word stem dict has a root meaning of to say or to speak, but it is never used alone. Prefixes can be used before the stem (predict, contradict), or suffixes added after the stem (diction, dicator).
Most word stems in English come from Latin and Greek. If you learn the most common of these, you will be
able to analyse the meaning of many words without having to look them up in a dictionary.
In the following examples, some of the most common word stems are listed. The meaning of the stem is
given as an area of meaning because most often there is no one single specific meaning. In the space on the
right, record examples of words which are built upon the stem.
Language Learning Skills
MATA KULIAH
PENGEMBANGAN
KEPRIBADIAN
TERINTEGRASI
ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES 17
word stem area of meaning examples
anthro man, mankind
bibl book
chron time
duc, duct lead
fort strong
homo same
log, logy speech, word, study
phil like, love
Exercise 1
Identify the stem, prefix / suffix in each of the underlined word and explain its meaning.
1. What does the conductor of an orchestra literally do?
2. No one dares to make a prediction of the likely outcome of the next general election in Indonesia.
3. Andi bore his pain with commendable fortitude.
4. What is the inductive reasoning?
5. Cereals are food which are fortified with iron and vitamins, so they are good for children.
Exercise 2
Complete each of the following sentences with another form of the underlined word.
1. Although the critics often said unkind things about the writers work, he refused to be discouraged
by their _____________________________
2. They told me to practice economy but Im not sure how to _______________________
3. You need to determine the benefits of each plan before you can decide which is most
_______________________
4. Synthetic rubber was not widely available before World War II. It took time to learn how to
_______________________
5. Sally appealed for help with her heavy load, but no one listened to her ________________________